The Open Health Data API Rik Smithies – [email protected] HL7 FHIR.

The Open Health Data API

Rik Smithies – [email protected]

HL7 FHIR

FHIR in one slide

•Fast Healthcare Interoperable Resources

•New free and open healthcare data API

•Builds on simplicity of HL7 V2

•With modern (web) standards

– XML, JSON, HTTP, REST, UML

– Familiar to new generation of developers

•Easy to implement the basics

•Getting rapid take up

FHIR in one bullet

•FHIR is:

a set of XML health data resources,

plus a REST API for accessing them.

REST is the name for accessing data via basic HTTP read/write/update operations

– Amazon, Facebook, Twitter…

This is what a FHIR Patient resource looks like in XML

REST: URL based API

•Use REST to get patient #1 from a FHIR server

https://server.nhs.org/Patient/1

•Search is also via URLhttps://../Patient/search?name=Smith

endpoint

resource type

identifiersecure http

Step back - why FHIR?

•HL7 V3 works, but is too hard

•CDA documents aren’t enough for all use cases

•HL7 V2 needs a transition path

•New markets, new questions

– Web, mobile, cloud

– “How can I get data from my server to my iPhone app?”

–“How do I connect my applications using cloud storage?”

Freely available

•Free as in beer (gratis)

•and as in speech (freedom)

•If you are looking for the simple free open health API, this is it

•http://hl7.org/fhir

hl7.org/fhir(FHIR home)

Principles:keep it simple

•You should be able to “figure it out” over a weekend

•80/20 Rule – if it isn’t used in 80% of current systems, it isn’t in. Common scenarios (but with extension mechanisms)

•Implementer focussed - everything in FHIR was implemented before it went into the specification

•FHIR is interoperability for people who have other things to do

FHIR Now

•Started July 2011

•DSTU publication in Jan 2014

– “Draft Standard For Trial Use” – ANSI rules

– It’s ready to use. We all gain experience, may lead to some changes.

•NHS HSCIC using as basis for E-Referrals project

– Several other UK projects in the pipeline. HL7 UK will be showcasing.

•Will be the format of MHD (IHE Mobile XDS profile)

•US Government (ONC) also working with FHIR

•Many suppliers looking at FHIR and actively involved in its development

Getting ready

•Consider FHIR for new requirements

- e.g. Expose appointments or lab data to patients on their smart phones

- When the alternative is roll your own, FHIR is easier.

•Map existing internal interfaces to FHIR to allow easy external interfacing- FHIR Patient resource is a common API for demographics

-Systems can have a simple FHIR Patient interface added

-Share demographics (e.g. to Social Care)

-Compare NHS numbers between systems (strategic NHS objective)

•Look at adopting FHIR as an internal architecture

Next steps for you

•Read the spec: http://hl7.org/fhir (or google “FHIR”)

•Comment on the spec: discussion thread on each page

•Join the FHIR email list (google “fhir email list”) http://wiki.hl7.org/index.php?title=

FHIR_email_list_subscription_instructions

•Follow #FHIR on Twitter

•Try implementing it

•Come to a hack day!

HL7 UK FHIR Activity

•UK FHIR Forum (date TBC either April 3rd or 9th)

– New “steering group” for FHIR standard in UK – First meeting, online

– Contact [email protected]

•FHIR UK hack day #2 soon (April/May date TBC)

•HL7 Interoperability Forum, 19th June

– FHIR case studies

•HL7 FHIR 'Hands-on' training

– Was last week, but also 12th November 2014, Sooner if demand

•Live demo: http://nprogram.azurewebsites.net/

Thanks

•Contact: Rik Smithies – Technical Committee Chair HL7 [email protected]

•Some slides based on ones by the 3 core architects of FHIR:

– Grahame Grieve, Australia

– Ewout Kramer, The Netherlands

– Lloyd McKenzie, Canada

•This presentation, Creative Commons, specifically:

– Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unsupported License

– (Do with it as you wish, so long as you give credit)