How to Check FHIR Server Status
FHIR server status - Darren Devitt
Summary
The author discusses methods for determining the availability of a FHIR server used by an application. While running resource queries is technically possible, it is deemed poor practice in production environments due to unnecessary data access and logging implications.
Details
When an app displays Appointment or DiagnosticReport data, users might encounter errors when calling the FHIR server after logging in. Ideally, this error should indicate a connection failure (like an API gateway error) rather than just an OperationOutcome. The author explores common methods—such as loading the CapabilityStatement or accessing `/Patient` resources—but finds them insufficient. Furthermore, running arbitrary search queries on a production FHIR server is considered poor practice because it accesses potentially sensitive data without valid reason and generates audit logs (AuditEvent). The only proposed solution is to build a custom endpoint or operation (`$is-server-active`). This dedicated operation bypasses standard logging mechanisms, makes a direct query, and returns a meaningful status to the user without exposing live patient data.
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