Smart decisions: Key insights to know before developing with SMART on FHIR

By following best practices, SMART on FHIR applications can transform healthcare delivery and significantly improve patient outcomes

INTEGRATING INTEROPERABLE SYSTEMS has become vital to healthcare technology today. SMART on FHIR is a prominent framework that enables the development of secure and interoperable healthcare applications. 

Perhaps you are asking: “What does SMART on FHIR stand for?” You can find the answer here, along with some essential insights that developers must consider to make informed decisions and ensure the success of their SMART on FHIR app development projects (according to many years of Topflight experience).

What Is SMART on FHIR?

Now, let’s answer the question: what is SMART on FHIR? It is a powerful combination of two healthcare IT standards: FHIR and SMART. HL7 developed FHIR as a standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically, while SMART enables the development of healthcare apps that can be easily integrated into existing systems. When used together, they provide a framework for building secure, interoperable, and scalable healthcare applications. 

SMART on FHIR leverages modern web technologies, such as OAuth 2.0 for authorization and RESTful APIs for data exchange. With this approach, developers can create applications that securely access and interact with electronic health records (EHRs) and other healthcare data sources. 

Furthermore, one of the major benefits of SMART on FHIR is the ability to provide a consistent user experience across different healthcare systems. SMART on FHIR apps can seamlessly integrate with various EHR systems without the need for custom integrations, as they adhere to a set of standard APIs and data formats.

Key Considerations Before Development

1. Compliance and Standards: Adhering to FHIR standards and the SMART App Launch Framework is vital to guarantee interoperability and compatibility with existing healthcare systems. Developers should make sure that their applications comply with the latest versions of these standards to prevent compatibility issues and ensure seamless integration with EHR systems.
2. Security and Privacy Concerns: Security and privacy are of utmost importance when developing HL7 SMART on FHIR applications, given the sensitive nature of healthcare data. SMART on FHIR developers must implement robust security measures, like OAuth 2.0 authorization and user consent management, to safeguard patient data against unauthorized access or disclosure.
3. Interoperability and Data Exchange: Interoperability is essential to enable smooth data exchange between healthcare systems and applications. Developers should ensure that their SMART on FHIR applications can effectively exchange data with other systems using standardized FHIR resources and APIs.
4. User Experience (UX) Design: The adoption and success of healthcare applications heavily depend on user experience. Developers ought to focus on designing intuitive and user-friendly interfaces to provide a seamless experience for healthcare professionals and patients.
5. Scalability and Performance: As healthcare data continues to increase, scalability and performance are critical considerations for HL7 SMART on FHIR applications. Thus, developers must build their applications to efficiently handle large datasets and optimize resource usage to ensure smooth performance, even under heavy loads.

Best Practices in SMART on FHIR Development

Robust Testing Procedures: Thorough testing is essential to detect and solve application glitches or bugs based on HL7 SMART on FHIR. Developers must apply comprehensive testing procedures, including unit testing and integration testing, to ensure their applications are reliable and of high quality.  

Agile Development Methodologies: Agile development methodologies, like Scrum or Kanban, are highly suitable for SMART on FHIR development. By adopting an iterative approach to development, developers can promptly adapt to changing requirements and deliver value to stakeholders on time.  

Documentation and Support: Developers should offer comprehensive documentation to aid developers in understanding how to use and incorporate SMART on FHIR applications. To assist users in resolving issues and finding solutions, developers should provide clear and detailed API documentation and support resources such as developer forums or communities.

Final Words

Using this technology, there are great possibilities for building secure, interoperable, and scalable healthcare applications. By understanding the essential insights and considerations mentioned in this article, SMART on FHIR developers can make well-informed decisions and easily navigate the complexities of SMART on FHIR development. 

With careful planning, following best practices, and a focus on delivering value to stakeholders, SMART on FHIR applications can transform healthcare delivery and significantly improve patient outcomes.

You will also probably be interested in learning about interoperability in EHR systems, which this study will help you with.

---

Author: Priya Raeesa

Priya is an experienced mobile app developer with a flair for simplifying complex concepts. Her articles aim to demystify the app development world and empower others to create innovative mobile solutions.