FHIR and the future of healthcare

HL7 Policy Summit – Paris – May 2015

Ewout Kramer

Furore

Warning

If we want FHIR to be part of the future of healthcare

We need to change our attitude

Your “Mobile” device becomes the Big Aggregator of data and functionality

Personal Health Record

Patient Portal

2012

The rise of the API

2015

Standardization?

Q: How can these bits of software work together without “standardization”?

A: No standardization…The biggest player gets adopted. Every one adapts to what they do!

So what about HL7 & FHIR?• With FHIR, HL7 joins the ranks of the API troopers.

• But other than Twitter, Facebook etc. HL7 has no “services” or “functionality” to offer

• FHIR is just a set of flexible standardized models and best-practices that others can use to create healthcare API’s

Who, Others?

“Communicate first, standardize later”

“Standardize first, communicate later”CHAOS?

“He who ships code, wins”

Universal interoperability is a Myth

What can we do for the future of healthcare?• Produce basic building blocks everyone needs. Quickly!

• Cooperate with your region/countries biggest players to get them adopted

• Open up a FHIR registry to promote reusable profiles, patterns & practices.

• Let everyone publish their specialized “dialect” of FHIR

• Re-integrate when need arises (= there’s interest and money)

• Let’s not be in the way. Be humble. Facilitate.

Questions?