What is the purpose of the Federal FHIR Action Plan?
The purpose of the Federal FHIR Action Plan is to drive federal investment in and adoption of the Health Level 7 (HL7®) Fast Health Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard. Its primary goal is to align federal agencies' adoption and use of FHIR around a set of essential components and capabilities that agencies have already promoted, implemented, or plan to implement within the next two years. Many of these components are mature and currently in production, supporting interoperability and advancing health IT initiatives. For more information, you can read the "About the Federal FHIR Action Plan" section, which provides additional details on its objectives and scope.
Who is the action plan for?
The action plan is primarily intended for federal agencies and their industry partners. It serves as a resource to inform agencies in determining which FHIR specifications to implement, include as requirements in funding opportunities, or recommend to their partners. Additionally, the action plan provides valuable insights into federal adoption of FHIR for secondary beneficiaries, such as state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments (STLTs), private sector organizations, non-profits, researchers, and other members of the healthcare ecosystem.
What is in the action plan?
The action plan contains a focused set of interoperability components that address the use of FHIR. Many of the listed specifications are mature, having been thoroughly tested and vetted through the standards process and implementation. These mature specifications do not require further investment and can be confidently used by federal agencies.
The components in the action plan are organized into six categories, which can be found in the "FHIR Ecosystem" tab – Core, Network, Payment and Health Quality, Care Delivery and Engagement, Public Health and Emergency Response, and Research. Additionally, the "Early-Stage Capabilities" section lists IGs, initiatives, and subject areas that are in developmental stages but have generated significant interest. These early-stage capabilities represent emerging opportunities for advancing FHIR-based interoperability in healthcare.
What is not in the action plan?
The action plan is intentionally focused on FHIR specifications, primarily represented by IGs. It does not include guidance on separate but related standards, such as terminologies or non-FHIR exchange standards. Information about these related standards can be found in the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA).
Additionally, the action plan does not provide a comprehensive listing of all FHIR specifications currently in use or under consideration by government agencies. Instead, it focuses on capabilities and specifications that are particularly relevant for cross-agency collaboration and coordination. This ensures the action plan remains targeted and actionable for advancing interoperability across federal agencies.
What criteria were used to select the standards listed in the action plan?
FHIR specifications were included in the action plan based on four criteria – agency interest, implementation, maturity, and reusability. Inclusion determinations were made based on discussions with ASTP and federal agency partner SMEs, public feedback submitted during the open feedback period, and review of public information.
How is the action plan different from the ISA?
The action plan differs from the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA) in its scope and target audience. The action plan focuses on a limited set of interoperability needs identified by federal agencies that specifically support the use of FHIR specifications. In contrast, the ISA is designed to address a broader range of interoperability needs, covering over 75 different standards areas in its latest edition, which include standards beyond FHIR.
Will the action plan be updated in the future?
The action plan will be updated on an annual basis as part of the ISA feedback process. Commenting functionality will remain available for registered ISP users at all times.
What specification should I reference?
Interested parties should refer to the latest version of the listed specification if a version is not referenced in the specification description.
How can I comment on the action plan?
An ISP site account is required to comment on the action plan.
- If you have an account already, click here or click the “LOG IN” button at the top right of the ISP and enter your log in information.
- To create an account, click here or click the “LOG IN” button, then “Create new account” tab above the log in window. Account approval is required and is generally completed within 24 hours.
Your comments will be reviewed by ASTP and/or other HHS subject matter experts and considered for future updates of the action plan.