How FHIR Connects the Entire Patient Care Process

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Electronic health records are no longer limited to storing data in one place. By utilizing the FHIR standard, it becomes possible to link multiple focused resources—such as Appointment, Encounter, Observation, Condition, and MedicationRequest—which each have individual focuses. These connections are made possible by 'References,' which provide clinical context (e.g., linking an observation to a specific patient and encounter). This integration transforms mere data lists into a 'coherent clinical story.' It achieves interoperability across the entire medical process, from scheduling and diagnosis to treatment and insurance coverage. This capability is crucial for Japan's advanced healthcare IT environment, providing the foundational technology needed to link data between disparate systems (clinical, laboratory, pharmacy, insurance).