This year at HIMSS18, InterSystems will be launching a new fast healthcare interoperability resource (FHIR) sandbox, which acts as a virtual testing environment. The technology is designed to enable developers to connect to multi-source health records when they are testing and developing their apps. The technology specifically targets app platforms that let inventors create SMART on FHIR apps in a vendor-neutral environment.

“We thought a vendor-neutral sandbox would be good for the community to learn about FHIR and FHIR apps,” said Don Woodlock, vice president of InterSystems HealthShare. 

Woodlock explained that developers can look at or download FHIR apps, understand the code and best practices, and then build their own apps. The technology will make it easier for health IT innovators to join the app ecosystem, according to the company. Currently, most SMART apps are tested on an FHIR that is specific to a company’s EHR but the sandbox program runs on InterSystems’ HealthShare program, which is aimed at tackling interoperability. 

The company will also be showcasing its HealthShare technology, which helps providers aggregate and streamline patient data. 

“Healthshare enables a customer to unify their patient data across data sources,” Woodlock said. “We have a component called health connect which allows you to connect with your EMR and data sources in a variety of ways.”

For example, Providence St. Joseph's used the system to enable an alert on the emergency department registration so when any patient goes into the hospital the entire system will get a notification. 

“Those caregivers are aware the patient has gone to the emergency department over the weekend,” Woodlock said. “There is an awareness of the clinical events that happen in the community — basically a connective tissue.”

Other hospitals like Mount Sinai in New York are using the system to tag frequent flyers in the emergency room. 

InterSystems will be in Booth 4444.

Twitter: @lauralovett7
Email the writer: laura.lovett@himssmedia.com