In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is becoming an increasingly important standard for exchanging healthcare data. Current use is rated at a level 4 out of 5, indicating significant adoption across the country. Versions DSTU2, STU3, R4, R4B, and R5 are all in use, with each version rated equally for usage intensity. Looking forward, there's an expectation of increased adoption, predicting a positive change in how healthcare information is shared.

Rules and Support

The UAE has established rules and support for the adoption of FHIR, including:

  • Health Data Exchange Rules: Regulations mandating the use of standards for electronic health data exchange are in place.
  • FHIR Requirements: The regulation specifically advises on using FHIR as a standard.
  • Deadlines and Fines: Currently, there's no clear deadline for compliance, and no fines are imposed for non-compliance.
  • Available Funding: Information on government funding for FHIR adoption is not specified.

Relevant links:

National Setup

The national framework for health data standards in the UAE includes:

  • Standards Organization: The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) is responsible for health data standards. MOHAP Website
  • Implementation Guides: A base/core FHIR Implementation Guide is provided for limited use cases. FHIR Implementation Guide
  • Terminology Services: A national FHIR terminology server is in production, supporting the standardized use of healthcare terminology.

Active Use Cases

Local implementation of FHIR in the UAE includes:

  • Patient flows and insurance approvals have been noted as successful use cases demonstrating the benefits of FHIR in streamlining healthcare processes.

Who's Using FHIR

Organizations actively using FHIR in the UAE include care providers and payers/insurers. They adopt FHIR for:

  • Improving health outcomes
  • Enhancing care workflows
  • Fostering innovation

Success Stories and Challenges

Successes and challenges with FHIR in the UAE:

  • Benefits: Improved healthcare outcomes and access to information, along with enhanced care workflows.
  • Challenges: The main difficulties lie in unclear benefits and lack of knowledge about FHIR among stakeholders.
  • Future Plans: There's anticipation for core standards for the International Patient Summary (IPS).

Future Plans

The UAE has made significant progress in adopting FHIR, with plans for:

  • Continued development of national FHIR data models and standards
  • Launch of pilot projects with healthcare stakeholders
  • Expanded adoption across the healthcare ecosystem

Expectations are high for FHIR to lead to cost savings, improved care coordination, and a robust digital health ecosystem in the next three years.

Contributors

  • Jamal Hashmi, Head of MENAT at SSI EMEA

The above summary is based on the answers to the State of FHIR Survey 2025, organized by Firely and HL7 International.