Check out our FAQ for more information about FHIR APIs.
What is FHIR and do I need it?
The primary goal of FHIR APIs for patients is to put patients first by giving them access to their health information when they need it most and in a way they can best use it. Patients and their healthcare providers will have the opportunity to be more informed, which can lead to better care and improved patient outcomes, while at the same time reducing burden.
The Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) is a standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically and are part of the Promoting Interoperability Measure Provide Patients Electronic Access to Their Health Information of the MIPS Quality Payment Program.
It is designed to facilitate the exchange of electronic health records (EHRs) and other healthcare data between different systems. The Interoperability and Patient Access final rule requires the use of FHIR by a variety of CMS-regulated payers, including Medicare Advantage organizations, state Medicaid programs, and qualified health plans in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace by 2021. Specifically, the rule requires FHIR APIs for Patient Access, Provider Directory and Payer-to-Payer exchange.
FHIR setup is required If your practice participates in the MIPS program and has chosen the Promoting Interoperability measure. If you do not need to report for MIPS or if you qualify for an exemption, then it is not necessary for you to set up the FHIR APIs.
What information will patients be able to access using FHIR?
FHIR requires participating providers to provide their patients with access to their data through an APIs (Application Programming Interface) which software developers use to retrieve patient data. Patients will not be able to view their data directly in plain text without further software development on their part to access the APIs or through the use of third-party solutions obtained by the patient. For information on what they will be able to access, see our article What data is included in CCDA exports from DrChrono?
Will we be charged and if so, how much?
As part of our commitment to providing you with the best healthcare solutions, the DrChrono team is providing this solution to you at no additional charge.
What happens if a patient does not have an e-mail address has not shared it with us or it is invalid?
An e-mail address is required to provide your patients with access to their health information. If a patient does not have an address listed, they will not be able to receive the required information and will not be counted in the numerator for the measure for the reporting period.
Why do we need to use ConnectEHR and what are the advantages to using it?
DrChrono has partnered with ConnectEHR to facilitate the FHIR API process and allow your patients to access their health information so that your practice will comply with the FHIR standards in the Promoting Interoperability measure. If you do not participate in MIPS or do not report for the Promoting Interoperability measure, you may not need to use the ConnectEHR platform.
Is it mandatory for the patient to sign up for ConnectEHR to meet the Provide Patient Access measure or does the email meet the measure?
No. The patient doesn't need to activate their FHIR API account for you to meet the measure. They only have to receive their invitation, which happens automatically after you lock the clinical note. However, your practice must be set up with ConnectEHR for this to happen. Please contact Support if you have any additional questions or if you still need to complete the set-up process.
What's the difference between checking the health information via the OnPatient portal & ConnectEHR?
OnPatient allows patients to access their health information from only your practice. Additionally, they can schedule appointments and message their provider. With FHIR APIs, patients can access their health information from all their providers in one place. However, both systems are required if your practice participates in the Promoting Interoperability MIPS measure.
I didn't mean to sign up for FHIR APIs or I don't need to report. How can I disconnect my account?
You can disable the connection to ConnectEHR by navigating to Account > API. Click Disconnect under the ConnectEHR tab. Once complete, you will see the green “Connected” status indicator switch to a red “Disconnected” status.