In Lao People's Democratic Republic, FHIR is not yet being used to exchange healthcare data. FHIR stands for Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, a global standard that helps different health systems share information.

No specific FHIR versions are currently active in the country. Work is just beginning to lay the foundations.

Looking ahead, we expect a moderate increase in FHIR adoption over the coming years. The country is taking early steps to prepare for wider use.

Rules and Support

Lao PDR has rules in place that guide health data exchange:

  • Regulation exists that mandates the use of standards in electronic health data exchange
  • FHIR is recommended (advised), but not required
  • No compliance deadline has been set
  • Fines can apply if rules are not met
  • Government funds are available to support FHIR adoption, including help from the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

One gap remains: the country still needs a law or regulation covering data privacy and security.

National Setup

The country has a clear structure for health data standards:

  • The Department of Planning and Finance, Statistics and Digital Health under the Ministry of Health is responsible for health data standards
  • A base FHIR implementation guide for the country is under development
  • A national FHIR terminology server (a service that manages standard medical codes) is also under development
  • Some basic standards already exist, including lists of health facilities, villages, districts, and provinces

Use Cases and International Standards

No country-specific FHIR standards have been developed yet for particular use cases. There is currently no known activity around the FHIR Community Process (FCP), a global program for sharing FHIR specifications. Within 2–3 years, we expect one or more organizations to explore joining the FCP.

Who Uses FHIR

The main groups expected to adopt FHIR in Lao PDR are:

  • EHR (electronic health record) system vendors
  • Diagnostic system vendors, such as imaging and laboratory systems
  • Government agencies

The key reasons for adopting FHIR include:

  • Meeting regulations and using available grants
  • Improving health outcomes
  • Improving care workflows
  • Giving patients access to their data
  • Supporting innovation

Software used is mostly open source.

Successes and Challenges

No successful FHIR use cases have been reported so far, since adoption is just starting.

A key future project to watch is:

  • Data exchange between EMR (electronic medical record) systems and DHIS2, a widely used health information platform

On the topic of artificial intelligence (AI), the impact on FHIR efforts in Lao PDR is not yet clear. There is no strong view on whether AI reduces the need to invest in structured data.

Future Plans

Progress over the past year has gone far beyond what was expected. Still, satisfaction with the current adoption rate remains neutral.

A major achievement in the last year was:

  • The establishment of a national standards organization

Next steps planned for the coming year include:

  • Developing a national FHIR data model
  • Introducing new regulation that prescribes the use of standards in electronic health data exchange

Looking three years ahead, we agree that FHIR adoption will bring real benefits, including cost savings, better care coordination, and a stronger digital health ecosystem.

Contributors

  • Thepphouthone Sorsavanh, Ministry of Health

The above summary is based on the answers to the State of FHIR Survey 2026, organized by Firely and HL7 International.