FHIR - Integration

Exploring FHIR and Adding patient data to FHIR Data and CCD

Objective:

This lab is designed to provide students with a hands-on understanding of the HL7 FHIR model and its critical role in healthcare data exchange. Students will create a new patient in the Care Compliance Dashboard, interact with core FHIR resources (Condition, Allergy, MedicationRequest, and Observation), and use Postman to perform API calls to add these resources to the HAPI FHIR database. As updates are made, students will observe the changes reflected in the Care Compliance Dashboard, bridging the theoretical knowledge of FHIR with its real-world applications in healthcare systems.

Lab Overview

1. Introduction to FHIR:

   • Learn the purpose and structure of the HL7 FHIR standard.

   • Understand how FHIR enables seamless data interoperability and supports modular healthcare data representation.

2. Overview of Core FHIR Resources:

   • Patient: Basic demographic and identity information.

   • Condition: Details of patient diagnoses.

   • AllergyIntolerance: Information about patient allergies.

   • MedicationRequest: Details of prescribed medications.

   • Observation: Clinical observations such as vital signs or lab results.

3. Postman and FHIR APIs:

   • Use Postman to interact with FHIR APIs for creating and managing resources.

   • Learn to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on FHIR resources.

4. Real-Time Updates in Care Compliance Dashboard:

   • Observe how updates to the HAPI FHIR database reflect on the Care Compliance Dashboard.

   • Understand the linkage between FHIR APIs and front-end EHR systems.

Lab Workflow

1. Setup:

   • Access the Care Compliance Dashboard and HAPI FHIR database.

   • Install and configure Postman to interact with the FHIR APIs.

   • Review the FHIR API documentation for resource structures and endpoints.

2. Create a New Patient:

   • Use the CCD to create a new patient with demographic details.

   • Verify the new patient entry is visible on the Care Compliance Dashboard.

3. Add FHIR Resources:

   • Condition:

     • Use the Condition API to add diagnoses for the patient (e.g., Type 2 Diabetes).

     • Verify the conditions appear in the "Problem List" on the dashboard.

   • AllergyIntolerance:

     • Add allergies (e.g., Penicillin) using the AllergyIntolerance API.

     • Check for the updates in the "Allergy" section of the dashboard.

   • MedicationRequest:

     • Create a medication request (e.g., Metformin 500 mg) using the MedicationRequest API.

     • Confirm it is listed under the "Medication" section of the dashboard.

   • Observation:

     • Add clinical observations (e.g., blood pressure, lab results) using the Observation API.

     • Validate the observations reflect via Get Observations API in postman.

4. Validate and Update Resources:

   • Use GET API calls to retrieve and verify the resources you created.

   • Make PUT or PATCH API calls to update any resource data and observe real-time updates in the dashboard.

5. Reflection and Reporting:

   • Reflect on the relationship between FHIR resources and the Care Compliance Dashboard's EHR functionalities.

   • Document the API requests, responses, and challenges encountered during the lab.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the FHIR Model and Its Importance

• Explain the need for the FHIR model in achieving healthcare data interoperability.

• Describe the structure and purpose of key FHIR resources (Patient, Condition, AllergyIntolerance, MedicationRequest, Observation).

2. Learn to Use FHIR APIs

• Use Postman to perform CRUD operations on FHIR resources.

• Understand the structure of API requests and responses for FHIR-compliant systems.

3. Create and Manage FHIR Resources

• Create and manage core FHIR resources for a patient in the Care Compliance Dashboard.

• Ensure data accuracy and consistency across the HAPI FHIR database and dashboard.

4. Understand Real-Time Data Synchronization

• Observe how updates to the HAPI FHIR database reflect in the Care Compliance Dashboard.

• Appreciate the role of FHIR APIs in powering modern EHR systems.

5. Develop Practical Skills in Healthcare IT

• Gain hands-on experience with healthcare data standards and tools.

• Understand the practical implications of FHIR in real-world healthcare systems.

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Outcome

By the end of this lab, students will have developed a comprehensive understanding of the FHIR model and its practical applications. They will be able to create and manage patient data using FHIR APIs, gaining critical skills for working with modern healthcare IT systems. This lab prepares students to integrate technology into healthcare workflows and contribute to improving data interoperability in the healthcare ecosystem.