The following is a guest blog by Monica Stout from MedicaSoft.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the launch of their Lighthouse Lab platform at HIMSS18 earlier this year. Lighthouse Lab is an open API framework that gives software developers tools to create mobile and web applications to help veterans manage their VA care, services, and benefits. Lighthouse Lab is also intended to help VA adopt more enterprise-wide and commercial-off-the-shelf products and to move the agency more in line with digital experiences in the private sector. Lighthouse Lab has a patient-centric end goal to help veterans better facilitate their care, services, and benefits.
Given its size and reach, VA is easily the biggest healthcare provider in the country. Adopting enterprise-level HL7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)-based application programming interfaces (APIs) as their preferred way to share data when veterans receive care both in the community and VA sends a clear message to industry: rapidly-deployed, FHIR-ready solutions are where industry is going. Simple and fast access to data is not only necessary, but expected. The HL7 FHIR standard and FHIR APIs are here to stay.
There is a lot of value in using enterprise-wide FHIR-based APIs. They use a RESTful approach, which means they use a uniform and predefined set of operations that are consistent with the way today’s web and mobile applications work. This makes it easier to connect and interoperate. Following an 80/20 rule, FHIR focuses on hitting 80% of common use cases instead of 20% of exceptions. FHIR supports a whole host of healthcare needs including mobile, flexible custom workflows, device integrations, and saving money.
There is also value in sharing records. There are so many examples of how a lack of interoperability has harmed patients and hindered care coordination. Imagine if that was not an issue and technology eliminated those issues. With Lighthouse Lab, it appears VA is headed in the direction of innovation and interoperability, including improved patient care for the veterans it serves.
What do you think about VA Lighthouse Lab? Will this be the impetus to push the rest of the healthcare industry toward real interoperability?
About Monica Stout
Monica is a HIT teleworker in Grand Rapids, Michigan by way of Washington, D.C., who has consulted at several government agencies, including the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She’s currently the Marketing Director at MedicaSoft. Monica can be found on Twitter @MI_turnaround or @MedicaSoftLLC.
About MedicaSoft
MedicaSoft designs, develops, delivers, and maintains EHR, PHR, and UHR software solutions and HISP services for healthcare providers and patients around the world. MedicaSoft is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene. For more information, visit www.medicasoft.us or connect with us on Twitter @MedicaSoftLLC, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
