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This is the Implementation Guide for the MedicAlert Foundation NZ's First Responser FHIR API. The First Responser API can be used by approved partners and vendors to retrieve an individual's summary emergency record held by MedicAlert.

The MedicAlert® Foundation NZ is a service that provides secure access to vital personal and medical information for clinicians or emergency services in New Zealand or when travelling abroad.

Other information including next of kin or emergency contact information, Advance Directive or Care Plan information, Enduring Power of Attorney and other important Health Related Documents are made known to providers and clinicians via MedicAlert's services.

First responder API

The first responder FHIR API makes MedicAlert's data available via a new digital channel to approved parties. It is expected that first responders and other clinicians will use the API in their applications for functions such as:

  • Discovering existing medical conditions when a person can't talk for themselves
  • Load a patient's drug allergies before adminstering drugs
  • Notifying an emergency contact
  • Validate a DNR order and other advance directive inforamtion

Data Sources

Data is aquired via several connected services, the Member themselves and their Health providers. MedicAlert Foundation NZ reviews, codes, catagorises and rates the data into information that is useful when providing care. Some of these sources are documented on the Data Sources Page

If you are a custodian of a data source that could be better utilised to help prevent harm and save lives, please contact us to discuss integration opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

Access to First Responder API can only be granted for:

  • Individual themselves
  • Health Sector Professionals with a role in:
    • Emergency help lines
    • Paramedics
    • Providing health services (Doctors, Nurses, Midwives, etc.)
    • Allied services

If you are planning to develop an application for any of the above mentioned use cases or if you have any other use case that might benefit the health sector or the patients, we would love to hear from you and work with you to get you access to the service

Resources & Profiles

The API is a HL7® FHIR© API based on the Internationl Patient Summary standard.

The Bundle resource returned by queries has a Composition resource with attestation and references and uses the Resources:

  • Patient
  • Practitioner & PractitionerRole
  • Organization & Location
  • AllergyIntolerance
  • Condition
  • Medication
  • DeviceUsage & Device

For full details see the profiles overview page.

The API supports the standard IPS summary query syntax for returning a member's summary with a search using an identifier (MemberId or NHI).