E-health data integration to be completed this year - Taipei Times

• By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) aims to complete an initiative integrating hospitals' electronic health record (EHR) systems by the end of the year to make it easier to share patients' data when they are referred to other healthcare facilities, health officials said in Taipei yesterday.

Taiwan has been promoting digital transformation in the healthcare sector to optimize medical care for the public and ease the burden on health personnel, the ministry said.

As global smart healthcare is rapidly advancing, Taiwan must build a health information system aligned with international standards, MOHW Deputy Minister Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said at the first Taiwan Top 50 SMART Apps Awards Ceremony & SMART SUMMIT International Forum.

Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times

Toward this end, the ministry introduced the "SMART on FHIR" framework last year, he said.

"SMART on FHIR" stands for Substitutable Medical Applications and Reusable Technologies on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, which is an open, standards-based technology framework that allows healthcare apps to securely connect, access and exchange data with different EHR systems.

The framework would make the originally closed and siloed healthcare information systems become interoperable across hospitals and systems, Chuang said.

"Through the FHIR standard and supporting digital infrastructure, patients will no longer need to bring physical medical records or undergo duplicate examinations when visiting a different hospital or clinic," he said.

With patients' consent, health data can be integrated in real-time, so doctors can quickly access patients' medical records, enhancing diagnostic efficiency and quality, he added.

There are more than 30 EHR systems in use in Taiwan, making it difficult to integrate medical data across hospitals, MOHW Department of Information Management Director Lee Chien-chang (李建璋) said

However, the FHIR standard is like the www — World Wide Web — of health data exchange and is used widely around the world, Lee said.

The ministry in 2024 started implementing a four-year Next-Generation EHR System program, with trial runs at Mackay Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Taichung's Chung Shan Medical University Hospital reporting success in achieving medical record interoperability at the end of last year, he said.

The ministry plans to offer education and training to medical centers this year, and it aims to achieve EHR interoperability across all medical centers nationwide by the end of this year, Lee said.

If successful, the system would be introduced to primary clinics and local public health centers next year, he added.

The ministry yesterday handed out awards to 50 outstanding domestic apps, which are expected to be widely used across healthcare facilities at all levels to enhance service efficiency.

Many international experts joined the forum to exchange insights on digital healthcare trends, the ministry said.