Mapping Interoperability Initiatives in German Healthcare using FHIR: Workshop Report

Details

This working group was established with the objective of creating a comprehensive overview of interoperability initiatives and their associated actors concerning FHIR in the German healthcare system. Since such an overview did not previously exist, establishing this map was deemed crucial for facilitating experience exchange and community building. The specific areas of focus included setting prerequisites for practical use of FHIR in care settings (e.g., specialized journey mapping, medication process analysis), establishing and implementing flexible governance structures, ensuring the usability of national terminologies, and prioritizing patient/user perspectives during specification development. The group also focused on promoting the standardization and adoption of FHIR across various healthcare domains. The working group ran from March 24, 2022, for approximately four months. Its key outcome was the analysis of a survey and the creation of a map/list detailing interoperability initiatives (including actors and profiles). Participants included diverse stakeholders such as industry associations, standardization organizations, and academic institutions, contributing to the development of a roadmap for data sharing and utilization across German healthcare.