Exchange Patterns

This section has been included to show the types of exchange patterns and how these ways of exchanging FHIR Resources relates to Information Sharing Patterns.

The exchange patterns are complimentary, each having it’s strengths and weaknesses. The best solution will probably to use a combination of pattern.

Information Sharing Patterns

	Consider using Messaging to populate the Repository
	Consider using Messaging to populate the Repository

Messaging

There are many scenarios where messaging can’t be driven entirely by the service owner. This is especially true in large organisations or in scenarios where health and social care organisations need to exchange data. In these situations we need an API that recognises a set of related resources but does not tie them into specific procedures, this may also be called a MessagingAPI.

For example a Referral Request will typically contain supporting information such as a referral letter, images/scans, or other resources relevant to the referral. How the Referral Request and other resources are handled is down to the service. The service handler may block (synchronous) while waiting for a response but typically the response will be generated later (asynchronously).

Benefits

• Established and mature pattern in Health and Social Care domain
• Process isolation, useful for communication between organisations and large systems.

Concerns

• Not suitable mobile or browser use
• Information Governance concerns especially when used with broadcast pattern.
• Messages need handling, this may be unnecessary for small transactions

Information Sharing Patterns

	To store resources in the Repository Use API to retrieve the resources
	To store resources in the Repository Use API to retrieve the resources
	To store resources in the repository and provide Notification Use API to retrieve the resources

Documents

Send documents to remote systems while avoiding direct coupling to remote procedures.

A DocumentAPI is an extension of the MessagingAPI which provides a set of coherent information that is a statement of healthcare information, including clinical observations and services. A document is an immutable set of resources with a fixed presentation that is authored and/or attested by humans, organizations and devices.

Benefits

• Formatted for human readability using structured headings PRSB
• Static coherent statement of health care at fixed point in time.
• Can be generated on demand to provide a current statement of Patient care.

Concerns

• More complex to develop

Information Sharing Patterns

	To populate the repository. Use Message or API for the notification Use API to retrieve the document