Using FHIR for Interoperability – Is it the next big thing?

Since the draft FHIR specifications were released last year, I have had the opportunity to talk to a lot of healthcare IT leaders, hospital CIOs, and other vendors about its implementation and benefits. The consensus so far is that FHIR is easier to use, can accelerate 3^rd party integration, and will bring Generation Y companies to healthcare quicker. This ultimately leads to improved patient care.

If you aren’t familiar with it, FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource) is the newest standard released in draft form by HL7. You can access the draft spec here. And, if you haven’t had time to dive into the details of FHIR, let me tell you what I’ve learned about it, and how I think it can be the next thing to revolutionize the way we deliver healthcare.

Here are some key ways that FHIR can help your organization:

1. Opens the market for new IT entrants — this is a win/win for all involved (providers and patients) because it gives new opportunities for healthcare IT advancement
2. DIY productivity tools are simple to create — allows you to implement key aspects of FHIR on your own, with little resources
3. Opens access to your EHR data — can advance your goals for interoperability very quickly
4. Accelerator for the healthcare consumer movement — by using these tools, it allows for patients to get more engaged in their healthcare, faster, by allowing them access to important records

I discuss these topics and share some examples of how FHIR can help you, and ultimately your patients in an on-demand webcast “FHIR — What’s All the FHUSS?”

{{cta('cd8762e1-4361-478e-b537-40cfb2f91f27','justifycenter')}}