What Lessons Did Public Health FHIR Pilots Learn?
What Lessons Did Public Health FHIR Pilots Learn? - Healthcare Innovation
Summary
According to a report from state and territorial health officials, key lessons regarding data exchange and workforce development were learned through public health FHIR implementation pilots conducted between 2022 and 2025. Initial stages require time and training, emphasizing the importance of sustainable infrastructure development and roadmap creation.
Details
A report by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) details the outcomes of FHIR implementation pilots in the public health sector within the United States. These efforts aim to dismantle data silos and provide a modern interoperable framework for sharing information among providers, laboratories, and government agencies. Pilot sites, including state/local departments (e.g., Washington State and Seattle), progressed from one-way death record data exchange to bi-directional exchange and immunization data integration. Challenges identified included varying levels of FHIR knowledge and the misalignment between annual funding cycles and long-term implementation planning. The participants stressed the critical need for early, sustained planning focused on building reusable and scalable FHIR infrastructure that can support broad public health functions, rather than just single use cases. They recommended developing an agency-level 'FHIR roadmap' to guide long-term technical development and set milestones. These findings suggest a path forward by aligning efforts with broader initiatives like the Public Health Data Modernization Program and TEFCA, enhancing sustainability and impact.
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