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Top Highlights from SQL on FHIR at FHIR North 2023

November 20, 2023

SQL on FHIR presentation came jam-packed with insights on simplifying complex FHIR data for analytics and reporting, while highlighting the benefits of adopting SQL on FHIR.

FHIR North 2023, Canada's online FHIR conference on October 17-18, talked about the future of healthcare tech. It's highly recommended for healthcare professionals, developers, and industry leaders. Vasilii Kupriakov, a software engineer at Health Samurai, actively participated in the event. During his session, he discussed the advancements and advantages of incorporating SQL into FHIR development.

Watch the full recording here.

Why is analyzing and reporting with FHIR data difficult?

Before we jump into SQL on FHIR, let's quickly outline why gaining insights from FHIR data is genuinely challenging.

  • Complex Nesting: FHIR data has intricate structures that pose difficulties in analysis.
  • Creating Flat Views: The process of flattening FHIR data for analysis can be challenging.
  • Standardization: There's a need for a standardized approach, addressed by SQL on FHIR, to simplify working with FHIR data in databases.

Who is behind SQL on FHIR?

SQL on FHIR is a collaborative effort involving experts from Google, CSIRO, Microsoft, Philips, NCQA, CQLab, Center Square Solutions, Vermonster and Health Samurai. They aim to set a standard for managing FHIR data in relational databases, crucial for efficient analytics due to the complex nesting of FHIR data.

What are the benefits of SQL on FHIR?

  • Flexibility for various needs: Different organizations can use either commercial or open-source tools based on their requirements.
  • Simplified tool development: A standard like SQL on FHIR makes it easier to create tools compatible with FHIR data.
  • Ready-to-use definitions: Offers pre-made queries and definitions for flattening FHIR data.

Why Choose SQL for FHIR Data?

  • Built on a strong foundation: SQL has been around for a long time and offers powerful tools for tasks like business intelligence, storing columns, managing transactions, and visualizing data.
  • Great at combining information: SQL is excellent for aggregating queries, which can be tricky with FHIR search capabilities.
  • Easy to use: Almost everyone is familiar with SQL, making it straightforward and widely usable.

How is FHIR data prepared for analytics and reporting?

We utilize the FHIRPath language to extract data from FHIR resources. It's currently employed in StructureDefinitions to set constraints and in defining search parameters.

  • The ViewDefinition resource forms the core of SQL on FHIR, detailing how to transform FHIR data into organized, flat rows.
  • ViewDefinitions let you easily create basic resources that can be queried with SQL.
  • It comprises select expressions defining columns and their corresponding FHIRPath expressions.
  • Additional properties cover resource types and database-friendly names for tables or views.
  • As a result, we obtain a table or view with flat rows, determined by the specified columns and expressions.

How to apply SQL on FHIR?

Vasilii demonstrated using synthetic data how to extract information from FHIR resources and build straightforward dashboards. In summary, with SQL on FHIR, you can:

  • Write code for extracting data
  • Create dashboards with simple view definitions
  • Perform metric calculation queries

Ready to get started with SQL on FHIR?

Check out the sneak peek of Health Samurai's SQL on FHIR engine, available for testing! Got questions or unique scenarios in mind? Share them with us. Want to see it in action? Book a meeting!

Learn more about Aidbox FHIR server

What to expect

Industry Experts

Engage with leading industry experts as they share their insights and experiences in leveraging SQL on FHIR to transform healthcare data management.

Ongoing Challenges

Explore the most recent challenges faced in implementing SQL on FHIR and learn strategies to effectively address these issues.

Use cases

Discover practical use cases that demonstrate the power of SQL on FHIR in real-world healthcare scenarios, showcasing its impact on data analysis and integration.

Best Practices & Solutions

Gain valuable knowledge on best practices and innovative solutions for optimizing the use of SQL on FHIR in your healthcare systems.

Testimonials

HospitalonFHIR - FHIR Camp 2024 – Cascais/Lisbon 🌟 It was a great attending the FHIR Camp 2024, surrounded by passionate professionals and inspiring leaders in the healthcare interoperability space. It was truly an honor to learn from references like Grahame Grieve (and many more), alongside dedicated enthusiasts, all committed to advancing HL7 FHIR standards and fostering better healthcare systems worldwide.

Victor Costa

Membro do conselho na E-Mais - Movimento Associação dos Sistemas de Informação Em Saúde

LInkedin

Had an amazing experience at the FHIR Camp 2024 organized by Health Samurai | Aidbox FHIR® Platform. Inspired by its transformative potential, I look forward to working further in FHIR and hope to see its implementation in Nepal's healthcare system as well.

Manila Bhandari

Electrical Engineer | Researcher

Linkedin

Though a bit delayed but still I don’t want to miss out on talking about the recently concluded #FHIRCamp2024 organized by Health Samurai | Aidbox FHIR® Platform in the beautiful city of Cascais, Portugal.

Gaurav Pradhan

Healthcare & Life-Sciences Consulting | HL7 FHIR® Expert | Digital Transformation Leader

Linkedin

I skipped a lot of recent conferences to prioritize attending FHIR Camp 2024 in Portugal the week before last. It was well worth the trip! It was great to hear Grahame Grieve give the background story on how FHIR came to be an open source effort. The open source angle is really important and unique in that it will require a lot of meaningful collaboration and perhaps unprecedented transparency (things we're not great at in the US) to advance these standards in the coming years. There is and will be a lot of opportunity for people to develop and offer FHIR expertise.

Cindy Throop

Founder, Research Director, Senior Strategic Consultant

Linkedin

It was a pleasure to come to the #FHIR #camp in Cascais as a Hospitals on FHIR ambassador It was a pleasure to exchange our outlook on FHIR #versionning and how to deal with the multiple versions with Grahame Grieve, Lloyd McKenzie, Gino Canessa, Ewout Kramer and Nikolai Ryzhikov I also had the occasion to present the state of FHIR in #France and the work our community is doing to increase adoption And of course, always a pleasure to exchange with friends of the HL7 community.

Luc Chatty

FHIR interoperability expert and architect. CEO of Fyrstain. Hospitals On FHIR ambassador.

Linkedin

FHIR CAMP 2024 in Cascais, Portugal, was filled with excitement and activity. Here are some highlights that I'd love to share. This experience reflected the event's opening message: to connect systems and technologies, we must first connect with each other. It was an incredible day, and I can't wait to see what's next!

Irina Angel

HL7 FHIR® Certified physician-scientist

Linkedin

I'm back from the fantastic experience that was #FHIR Camp 2024 in Cascais, Portugal! I was grateful to reconnect with many of my long-time collaborators and also many new people that bring interesting perspectives that enhance our collective work. I really liked the format - I think it was very conducive to free-flowing conversation about new ideas and approaches. Thank you very much to Nikolai Ryzhikov, Pavel Smirnov and all of Health Samurai | Aidbox FHIR® Platform for the opportunity and the amazing support. I think the event was a great success!

John Grimes

Health Data Interop + Analytics

Linkedin

I had the privilege of attending the FHIR® Camp 2024 🔥 in the beautiful Cascais, Lisbon 🇵🇹 hosted by Health Samurai | Aidbox FHIR® Platform The event brought together some of the brightest minds in the #HL7 #FHIR space, including industry pioneers like Grahame Grieve, Gino Canessa, Lloyd McKenzie, and many others! The sessions were not only inspiring but also directly relevant to the work we do at IgniteData.

Ângelo Ferreira

Tech Product Manager | Healthcare IT | HL7 FHIR

Linkedin

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