Promoting Electronic Medical Record Interoperability: Towards Seamless Cross-Hospital Care in Taiwan

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Historically, despite many large hospitals in Taiwan having e-medical record systems, a lack of standardization made cross-hospital data sharing difficult. Patients often faced significant time, effort, and financial burdens when seeking care at different facilities, sometimes leading to unnecessary duplicate tests. To address this, major medical centers began integrating their electronic medical record systems using the FHIR architecture starting in May 2026. FHIR is described as an 'internet' for e-medical records, allowing hospitals with disparate systems to exchange data on a common standard. This system enables patients to access relevant test reports and medical histories from various institutions through dedicated applications, achieving a 'plug-and-play' convenience. This integration allows physicians to quickly grasp a patient's full medical history and medication record, thereby improving diagnostic efficiency and quality. One hospital successfully used the FHIR system to link records and imaging data for stroke patients during transfer, reducing unnecessary tests. Experts emphasize that this development not only improves technology but significantly reduces the physical, mental, and economic burdens on patients. However, they also stress the critical need to safeguard patient rights—specifically the right to know and the right to consent—and establish rigorous regulatory oversight mechanisms for system stability and personal data security. The Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to continue promoting FHIR standards and digital infrastructure construction, transitioning medical information systems from closed operations to interconnected cross-hospital and cross-system sharing.