Microsoft Azure Expands API for FHIR to Fuel Interoperability

Microsoft Azure recently announced its expansion of its application program interface (API) for Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR). The new open-source software (OSS) and connectors will advance interoperability and secure the exchange of protected health information (PHI). Leaders in healthcare are prioritizing and demanding cloud technology that works on open standards, such as FHIR, to transform how they manage data. Microsoft’s expansion will boost interoperability and help customers at different stages of their journey, the company stated. “Azure was the first cloud with a fully-managed, enterprise-grade service for health data in the FHIR format. Since then,’ we’ve been actively working with customers so they can easily deploy an end-to-end pipeline for PHI in the cloud with the added security of FHIR APIs,” the announcement stated. First released to the general public In November 2019, experts believe that it is vital to ensure health data works in the open format of FHIR to enable the innovation of future health.