EAHP Releases FHIR Guide to Standardize Automation in Hospital Pharmacies

Details

The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) published version v1.0.0 of the FHIR implementation guide through its special interest group on interoperability in hospital pharmacy automation. The goal is to establish a common technical framework allowing automation systems from different vendors to communicate using standardized, neutral messages. Historically, these automated devices operated within closed environments specific to each vendor, making integration complex and costly. To solve this fragmentation, the EAHP working group defined specifications based on real pharmacy workflows and translated them into HL7 FHIR standards. The project involved hospital pharmacists, interoperability specialists, and ten technology providers (including Alphatron, BD, etc.). The initial guide focuses specifically on the automated replenishment processes of stock between different devices, covering interactions between storage robots and dispensing cabinets. The viability was demonstrated at the 30th EAHP Congress in Barcelona, where it connected ten technological providers and a total of 14 automation devices. This trial established 56 combinations of interoperable systems without custom-designed interfaces. EAHP stated that the document is aimed at hospital pharmacy teams, health informatics departments, software vendors, and interoperability specialists. The next phase will expand specifications to cover other priority workflows, supporting wider adoption of this technical model across Europe.