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Writer's pictureRegula Spuehler

heyPatient on FHIR 🔥

Updated: Jan 2, 2023

With the heyPatient app, patients can communicate and keep track of all (well, future ;) healthcare partners in the same way in a single unified environment.


It is essential to note that the content to be transported is very similar for all healthcare providers, but not the same:


In addition to common basic information, specific additional information (different for orthopaedics than for obstetrics, different for outpatient than for inpatient treatment) is always needed.

This is only possible if the technical connection channels to the health partners function in the same way and can be set up and adapted very easily.


The (not quite) new FHIR communication standard for healthcare (FHIR =Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) does exactly that. That is why it is rapidly spreading in the healthcare sector.


What is FHIR anyway?

FHIR is based on standardised building block data sets, so-called "resources", for patient, encounter, appointment, document, task and many others.


Each of these "resources" contains all the essential information elements of the respective building block, and can be extended with "extensions" if required.


The following illustration shows an example of an appointment resource with only minimal selected information elements of the appointment building block, as well as an institution-specific extension.



In contrast to earlier standards, each information element is given its corresponding meaning in order to avoid misunderstandings in inter-institutional communication.


In the example above, the code "FOLLOWUP" is a valid element from the standardised HL7 value list v2-0276.


FHIR Resources can be used to fully map databases, e.g. for clinical information systems.


The FHIR standard includes modern secure web service communication standards based on REST, which have proven themselves in cloud services of all kinds. The FHIR standard also includes extensive, powerful query options for efficient data analysis and processing.


Other benefits of FHIR:

  • Vendor-independent

  • Supported by all major cloud providers (MS Azure, Google, AWS) with hosting in Switzerland

  • Huge HL7 community for ongoing development, also in Switzerland for CH specifics

  • Standard modules and adapter modules available

  • The Electronic Patient Records (EPR) can also be addressed with FHIR:

For this reason, heyPatient communication is consistently based on the FHIR standard.


FHIR - Jumpstart: How fast is FHIR available in my health facility?

Your healthcare facility can also benefit from quick and easy integration with heyPatient via its own FHIR API.


First step: Verify your readiness

Order a demo installation with API test access and demo portal for a POC in your institution without obligation for the price of a coffee.


We will provide you with a test access to the private API https://heypatienthdstest-mySpital.fhir.azurehealthcareapis.com in a few days, for bidirectional data transfer, testing with the heyPatient app and monitoring with the heyPatient portal.



Second step: Integration with your application environment

In order to use the core functions of heyPatient, communication with your patient administration system/ERP and your KISIM as your scheduling system, integration is possible in a few hours using the heyPatient modules available for these systems (variant 1 in the following figure).


Almost any other hospital system can communicate with heyPatient via classic HL7 V2 connections using an existing integration platform (WSO2, Orchestra, BizTalk...) via FHIR (variant 2 in the figure). Here, too, FHIR communication is set up in a few hours.

Third step : Designing the specific information content for your patients.

This is where the real hard work lies - not in FHIR integration, however, but in marketing: depending on individual requirements, hours or months can be invested in enriching the core information with hospital-specific additional information, leaflets, forms, demonstration videos, etc. in the heyPatient portal.


Existing documents can be made available quickly and easily in the heyPatient portal. heyPatient can support you with suggestions and implementation aids.


FHIR is ready for you. Are you ready for FHIR?

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