HL7 progressing on next generation standards
Health Level Seven International's (HL7) next generation standards framework is progressing and will be balloted as a Draft Standard for Trial Use.
Fast Health Interoperable Resources (FHIR) combines features of HL7’s current Version 2, Version 3 and CDA integration product lines, while using new web standards and having an enhanced focus on ease of implementation, according to the organization's webpage on the topic. “FHIR solutions are built from a set of modular components called ‘Resources.’ These resources can easily be assembled into working systems that solve real-world clinical and administrative problems at a fraction of the price of existing alternatives.” FHIR combines the best features of HL7’s Version 2, Version 3 and CDA product lines while leveraging the latest web standards and applying a tight focus on implementability. FHIR is suitable for use in a wide variety of contexts, including social media on mobile phones, cloud communications, EHR-based data sharing and server communication in large institutional healthcare providers.
If sufficient HL7 members approve the ballot, it will be available for testing in real-world applications to gather information on necessary enhancements. FHIR is currently being tested within HL7 and will be available as a draft standard later this year, with development likely done by the end of 2015. More information is available here.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.