Review of The HL7 FHIR Session at HIMSS13

I begin today with the HL7 session on FHIR.  FHIR stands for Fast Healthcare Interoperable Resource.  FHIR received much buzz at the show as being the latest standard to be introduced by HL7.  On the first day of the show, Grahame Grieve, working group co-chair for HL7, delivered a presentation at the HL7 booth on the outlook for this new standard.

 

While there has been some confusion over its origins, FHIR has actually been under discussion at HL7 workgroup meetings for more than two years, spearheaded by Grahame Grieve.  Grieve points out that FHIR combines the best features of HL7 V2, HL7 V3, and CDA, while leveraging the latest web service technologies.

 

FHIR is based on modular components called “resources”, and these resources can be combined together to solve clinical and administrative problems in a practical way.  The resources can be extended and adapted to provide a more manageable solution to the healthcare demand for optionality and customization.  Systems can easily read the extensions using the same framework as other resources.

 

FHIR is still being developed by HL7, but the first Draft Standard for Trial Use should be available by the end of 2013.  For more information on FHIR you can watch a video recorded at HIMSS where Grahame Grieve and Dave Shaver, also a working group co-chair for HL7, discuss the possibilities: 
http://livestre.am/4n2tb

 

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Additional HIMSS 13 Review Posts:
Ins and Outs of Meaningful Use