FHIRING UP Digital Health with FHIR

FHIR and the Philippines

The Philippines, can utilize the benefits that will be gained by using HL7 FHIR. HL7 FHIR can provide an interoperability server that can be used as a layer for PHIE. Furthermore, adopting FHIR would provide DOH with a standard data model that can encourage the development of more standards-based and interoperable information systems. FHIR will also allow interfacility exchange of data. Interfacility health data exchange is one of the foundations of the SDN concept in the Universal Health care bill.  SIL-Asia has also piloted the connection of FHIR and DHIS2. If DOH will adapt FHIR, then it can also utilize the connectivity between FHIR and DHIS2 to have a dashboard integrated with PHIE.

Rationale 

HL7 FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperable Resources) is the emerging standard in health data exchange and sharing. HL7 FHIR uses the power of the web to exchange data across disparate platforms and technologies. Health Information Exchanges, Hospitals Information Systems and even large tech companies like Google and Apple are using FHIR in their handling of health data. Because of the ease of using it, it has driven the development of more health related applications such as mobile personal health records, outside of the traditional EMRs or EHRs.

The Philippines has just passed the Universal Healthcare Act, and an important component of the Act is on the development of service delivery networks (SDNs) in the whole country. With these SDNs, patients are expected to have a primary care provider, but healthcare should be available anywhere the patient is. For this model to work, it requires that health information systems that are deployed in facilities must easily communicate with one another and share patient data to ensure continuity of care. There are efforts in developing a Philippine Health Information Exchange (PHIE) with the ultimate goal of allowing exchange of patient data. However, as of the moment, the only available workflow for PHIE is on insurance claims with PhilHealth. The Philippine digital health ecosystem is not yet mature enough to enable meaningful exchange of data. 

The goal of this symposium is to convene different stakeholders in digital health, introduce to them HL7 FHIR and demonstrate how this new standard can be leveraged to enable interoperable health systems that will empower the SDNs and the Primary Care setup defined in the UHC Law. Invitees include Department of Health, Academe (UP Manila), Science and Technology (ASTI, PCHRD), EMR Providers, Hospitals and Private Sector. Aside from HL7 FHIR, we will be opening up the discussion for a possible establishment of an HL7 FHIR Community of Practice in the Philippines to further advance the possible usage of HL7 FHIR in the country.

Rationale of FHIR

FHIR is currently the emerging standard in Digital Health. It utilizes web technologies to transfer data between systems. The following are the benefits of using FHIR:

1. It is standards based (i.e. HL7). International information systems in digital health are expected to implement FHIR
2. FHIR already provides a data format. EMR developers no longer need to define their own and disparate data formats
3. FHIR servers already have integrated databases. Application developers can only concentrate on developing an interface and no longer need to implement the database.
4. FHIR uses standard web technologies. This makes it usable to EMRs, regardless of the platform on how the EMRs are implemented. 
5. Easier to connect to mobile system
6. Fewer data exchange needed
7. Can easily be adapted by legacy systems because it follows standard web technologies
8. Since FHIR uses web technologies, there is a wide pool of software developers who can implement and integrate with FHIR.
9. FHIR servers provide a plug and play platform for EMRs. With FHIR servers, EMRs can easily connect to the server and pull out data.
10. Promotes single entry of data

Workshop Objectives

The following are objectives of the symposium

1. Introduce HL7 FHIR to participants
2. Present the benefits of using FHIR
3. Demonstrate how FHIR works and how it could be implemented
4. Discuss how FHIR could be used in the Philippine context.
5. Identify privacy issues with FHIR

Program

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM – Registration

1:00 PM – 1:05 PM – Welcome Remarks, Gerard Servais, Senior Health Specialist, South East Asia Department, ADB

1:05 PM – 1:15 PM – Opening Remarks: Dr. Raymond Sarmiento, SIL-Asia expert, President HL7 Philippines

1:15 PM – 1:30 PM – Introduction to AeHIN: Dr. Alvin Sarmiento, Executive Director, AeHIN

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM – A Quick Look into FHIR: Philip Christian Zuniga, Technical Director SIL-Asia

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM – FHIR Demonstration: Rose Ann Zuniga, Health Systems Expert SIL-Asia

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Next Steps, Building a Community of Practice: Kristin Chloe Pascual, Communications Manager SIL-Asia

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM – Open Forum