Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has recently implemented SMART® on FHIR® APIs within their Cerner EHR.
Open standards have been developed to simplify integration within health and social care, making it easier to write complementary applications to enhance the functionality of the electronic health record. The use of common standards and open application programming interfaces (APIs) is expected to become more regular across NHS providers, as expressed in Matt Hancock’s technology strategy, ‘The Future of Healthcare’.
Developed by Health Level 7 International (HL7) and deployed via the cloud by Cerner as part of their Cerner Open Developer Experience programme, the Ignite APIs℠ for Millennium will allow OUH to more easily access external applications designed to meet the specific needs of patients and clinicians, and integrate them with their EHR to provide smarter and safer care.
The implementation is seen as a significant step forward in OUH’s digital journey and is testament to the commitment of both the Trust and Cerner to driving open platforms for the benefit of patients, clinicians, and the wider health system.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has become the first Cerner client outside the US to implement the Cerner Ignite APIs for Millennium, and one of the first providers in the UK to bring the use of open standards into clinical practice.
As a Global Digital Exemplar, OUH is early-adopting a technology that aligns with the NHS open agenda and expects to see further Trusts in the country answer the call for common standards to support the journey of the UK’s health and social care system towards digitised and more integrated care.
Oxford University Hospitals’ chief clinical information officer, Paul Altmann, said:
“We are very pleased by the potential unlocked by this project. Our recent go-live with the APIs is just the first landmark in this ongoing project, and while there is still a lot to be done, it was certainly a huge step towards our vision of delivering and developing excellence and value in patient care.
“We will continue to work closely with our health partners in the region and in the wider system to advance this initiative and outline the appropriate use of it to ensure benefits for patients and clinicians remain at the heart of every decision we make going forward.”
Geoff Segal, Cerner UK general manager, welcomed the announcement:
“Throughout our longstanding partnership with OUH they have repeatedly confirmed their pledge to provide the best possible care for their patients. We are delighted to continue to partner with them in their digital evolution and their mission to drive forward innovation and change in the region.
“We are confident it is the beginning of an exciting journey with great benefits ahead, and we are eager to see more projects like this rolled out across the UK, and keep progressing our technology to meet our partners’ and their communities’ needs.”
