Chapter 3

📖 The creation of FHIR in 2011

HL7® FHIR®1,2 is a healthcare standard that helps to exchange clinical information in a consistent format. It is one of many standards created and maintained by HL7®. HL7® is a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to improving interoperability in healthcare. HL7® HL7® FHIR®1 is already used by many organizations and its usage has significantly grown in the last few years, just recently spreading to Europe3.

The creation of FHIR in 2011 in its historical context
--- theme: default --- timeline title 2011: the birth of HL7 FHIR (and the iPad 2) 1998 : SOAP is introduced : Launch of Google 2000 : Roy Fielding publishes dissertation about REST : CDA Release 1.0 : dot.com bubble burst 2005 : CDA Release 2.0 : Launch of Youtube 2011 : HL7® FHIR®[^FHIR] development starts under leadership of Graham Grieve : iPad 2 release : Samsung Galaxy II release 2017 : HL7® FHIR®[^FHIR] STU3 Release 2018 : HL7® FHIR®[^FHIR] R4 Release 2023 : HL7® FHIR®[^FHIR] R5 Release
1998SOAP   is   introducedLaunch   of   Google2000Roy   Fieldingpublishesdissertation   aboutRESTCDA   Release   1.0dot.com   bubble   burst2005CDA   Release   2.0Launch   of   Youtube2011HL7<sup>®</sup>FHIR<sup>®</sup>[^FHIR]development   startsunder   leadership   ofGraham   GrieveiPad   2   releaseSamsung   Galaxy   IIrelease2017HL7<sup>®</sup>FHIR<sup>®</sup>[^FHIR]STU3   Release2018HL7<sup>®</sup>FHIR<sup>®</sup>[^FHIR]R4   Release2023HL7<sup>®</sup>FHIR<sup>®</sup>[^FHIR]R5   Release2011: the birth of HL7 FHIR (and the iPad 2)

HL7® FHIR®1 is relatively new: It was created by Graham Grieve in 2011. At that time, there already existed multiple successful standards, like CDA (Clinical document architecture) and HL7® version 2.

But HL7®1 wanted to create a new standard that would use state-of-the-art technology and be accessible for developers and healthcare practitioners alike. Another important goal was to handle use cases that arose from the growing popularity of mobile devices.

2011 was also the year of the release of the iPad 2 and the Samsung Galaxy II.

Youtube front page from the year 2011 Youtube front page from the year 2011

Screenshot taken from Webdesignmuseum.org

  1. HL7, FHIR and the FHIR [FLAME DESIGN] are the registered trademarks of Health Level Seven International and their use does not constitute endorsement by HL7. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Link to official HL7® FHIR® Documentation ↩︎

  3. See the link section in this chapter for more information about european FHIR-initiatives. ↩︎