The Sequoia Project, HL7 Partner to Advance FHIR Adoption Nationwide

Health Level Seven International (HL7), a health data standards-development organization, and The Sequoia Project, a non-profit advocate for nationwide health data interoperability, have announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) adoption nationwide.

“We are thrilled to announce this alliance with HL7,” Mariann Yeager, CEO of The Sequoia Project, said in a press release. “We look forward to working with HL7, alongside private and public sector subject matter experts, to advance nationwide FHIR implementation to improve interoperability nationwide.”

HL7 and The Sequoia Project will work together to accelerate the HL7 FHIR standard by coordinating with the work of the FHIR at Scale Taskforce (FAST) HL7 FHIR Accelerator.

Through the strategic relationship, HL7 and The Sequoia Project aim to continue working together in areas of mutual interest, including:

• Standards deployment and adoption
• Alignment between HL7 FHIR Accelerator projects and Sequoia initiatives
• Creating a feedback loop to HL7 based on lessons learned from real-world production-level exchange initiatives, education, and testing

“At HL7, we are delighted to continue the journey toward meaningful interoperability with The Sequoia Project,” said Charles Jaffe, MD, PhD, HL7 CEO. “Close collaboration is certain speed to market health IT interoperability improvements to reduce the strain on health systems, diminish clinician burden, and improve the lives of our patients.”

The focus of the FAST collaboration will be to drive alignment, where possible and applicable, in the following areas to begin:

• HL7 FAST Security for Scalable Registration, Authorization, and Authentication
• HL7 FAST Interoperable Digital Identity and Patient Matching
• HL7 FAST National Healthcare Directory
• HL7 FAST Hybrid/ Intermediary Exchange
• HL7 FAST Consent at Scale

FAST, initially an ONC-convened initiative, launched in late 2017 in response to an industry-recognized need to address barriers to FHIR scalability. Acting as a neutral convener, ONC facilitated the engagement of a representative group of volunteer healthcare industry stakeholders and health IT expertise before transferring the program to HL7.