Medblocks

The Medblocks Blog

We believe healthcare deserves better software. Follow our journey building open infrastructure for the future of health.

Three Ways to Build Your FHIR Server
General

Three Ways to Build Your FHIR Server

Here we assess three main approaches to implementing RESTful FHIR servers - Facade, Synchronization and Hybrid. Additionally, we look at FHIR Documents and Messaging information exchange paradigms.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Get Your Patient App Live on Epic in 48 Hours
General

Get Your Patient App Live on Epic in 48 Hours

Deploy your patient-facing FHIR app across Epic hospitals in just 48 hours with this simple guide. We demystify Epic's Automatic Client Record Distribution, letting your apps reach patients without manual installs, legalese and red tape.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

What Does It Take to Build a FHIR-First EHR? | Aidbox
General

What Does It Take to Build a FHIR-First EHR? | Aidbox

What does it take to build a truly modern EHR? In this in-depth conversation with Health Samurai CTO Nikolai Ryzhikov, we explore the path from monolithic systems to modular, FHIR-first platforms.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Learn to Build a Python Facade and Make Your EHR FHIR-Compliant
General

Learn to Build a Python Facade and Make Your EHR FHIR-Compliant

A 'facade' could be the answer you're looking for to solve your legacy data's FHIR-compatibility woes. In this simple tutorial, we take you through how to create a FHIR Facade on a Postgres database using Python.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Build FHIR Applications in Java with HAPI FHIR
General

Build FHIR Applications in Java with HAPI FHIR

This hands-on guide shows you how to code using the HAPI FHIR library in Java. and create real FHIR apps. Learn to work with FHIR Resources and interact with FHIR REST APIs.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

How to Work with FHIR REST APIs using Python
General

How to Work with FHIR REST APIs using Python

This guide explores how to perform real-world operations like creating, reading, updating and deleting patient data on a FHIR Server using FHIR REST APIs and Python.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Create Your Very First FHIR Resource With Python!
General

Create Your Very First FHIR Resource With Python!

In this beginner-friendly tutorial, learn how to create a FHIR Resource using Python. We will use the fhir.resources package to create and validate a Patient resource.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

The openEHR Vision with Professor David Ingram
General

The openEHR Vision with Professor David Ingram

In episode 15 of the Digital Health Hackers Podcast, Sidharth speaks to Prof. David Ingram, one of the creators of openEHR. In this article we explore his story, from physicist to engineer to healthcare information technology innovator.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

openEHR vs FHIR and other health IT standards
General

openEHR vs FHIR and other health IT standards

Health IT has various standards, and choosing the right one is often confusing. Let's understand the differences clearly so you can select the standard for the required task.

Ashwin Swaminathan

Ashwin Swaminathan

Business Analyst

An Intuitive Guide to AQL (Archetype Query Language)
openEHR

An Intuitive Guide to AQL (Archetype Query Language)

This article simplifies AQL (Archetype Query Language) by breaking it down into its basic concepts and providing examples that are suitable for readers at even beginner levels of openEHR proficiency.

Vipin Santhosh

Vipin Santhosh

Developer & E-Learning Instructor

Building the SMART on Epic Application: Coding Tutorial
General

Building the SMART on Epic Application: Coding Tutorial

Let's go ahead and apply the fundamentals we learnt in 'Patient App Integration with SMART on Epic - How To Guide - The Fundamentals' and code a fully functional application. In the end, you'll be able to make more applications of your own using SMART.

Ashwin Swaminathan

Ashwin Swaminathan

Business Analyst

How to build your first FHIR application using AI in 30 minutes
FHIR

How to build your first FHIR application using AI in 30 minutes

With the revolutionary technology of Large Language Models and AI assisted coding tools, building healthcare applications are no longer reserved for the seasoned programmers. This article is an introduction to building a FHIR web app for an absolute beginner using AI coding tools and techniques.

Vipin Santhosh

Vipin Santhosh

Developer & E-Learning Instructor

Patient App Integration with SMART on Epic - How To Guide - The Fundamentals
General

Patient App Integration with SMART on Epic - How To Guide - The Fundamentals

Healthcare apps rely on a powerful framework called SMART on FHIR, a technology that’s quietly transforming healthcare. In this series, we’ll uncover how it works, and by the end, you’ll know how to build your SMART-powered health app from the ground up.

Ashwin Swaminathan

Ashwin Swaminathan

Business Analyst

Lessons from E-Patient Dave’s Journey and the Changes We Need
General

Lessons from E-Patient Dave’s Journey and the Changes We Need

E-Patient Dave’s journey highlights the power of patient data access, collaboration, and open standards like FHIR and openEHR in transforming healthcare and redefining the doctor-patient relationship.

Ashwin Swaminathan

Ashwin Swaminathan

Business Analyst

Designing for Doctors: A FHIR-Driven Approach to Patient Management That Clinicians Actually Use
FHIR

Designing for Doctors: A FHIR-Driven Approach to Patient Management That Clinicians Actually Use

Explore how Medblocks' user-friendly patient management solution, powered by FHIR APIs, optimizes hospital workflows. The design prioritizes clinician efficiency and flexibility, facilitating easy registration and real-time patient tracking. Discover how a user-centered design and vendor-neutral APIs enhance healthcare delivery.

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Co-Founder and Product

FHIR Questionnaire Essentials: How to Get Started
General

FHIR Questionnaire Essentials: How to Get Started

Is it even possible to have healthcare forms that comply with a unified standard? In this tutorial, we explore FHIR's Questionnaire resource, which is a step in the right direction.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Why we're reinventing the EHR
openEHR

Why we're reinventing the EHR

Traditional approaches to healthcare software development have significant drawbacks. We believe a platform that has some standardized features and some extensible features might be the right answer.

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Co-Founder and Product

How to Setup Production-Ready ERPNext Healthcare on Kubernetes
General

How to Setup Production-Ready ERPNext Healthcare on Kubernetes

ERPNext is capable of handling almost all requirements of your healthcare enterprise. And with the low-code, open-source nature of the platform you can easily suggest improvements or customise it for your needs.

Abhinand Krishnan

Abhinand Krishnan

Developer

What is FHIR? A Beginner's Guide
FHIR

What is FHIR? A Beginner's Guide

Learn 5 Key HL7 FHIR Concepts - Resources, Data Elements, Profiles, Exchange Paradigms, and Implementation Guides.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

How to Create an EHRbase Plugin
openEHR

How to Create an EHRbase Plugin

Extend your openEHR Server! Learn how to create an EHRbase plugin that can make additional calls to the database and create a transactional outbox.

Vipin Santhosh

Vipin Santhosh

Developer & E-Learning Instructor

HL7 FHIR CDS Hooks - A Practical Guide
FHIR

HL7 FHIR CDS Hooks - A Practical Guide

HL7 CDS Hooks is a specification by HL7 that enables EHRs to integrate Clinical Decision Support using RESTful HTTP APIs.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

What is a FHIR Terminology Service?
FHIR

What is a FHIR Terminology Service?

The FHIR terminology service offers functions derived from a collection of CodeSystem, ValueSet, and ConceptMap resources.

Kritika Goyal

Kritika Goyal

Business Development

What is an Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI)?
General

What is an Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI)?

Discover the critical role of Enterprise Master Patient Indexes (EMPI) in managing patient data across healthcare systems, ensuring accuracy and safety in treatment.

Ashabil Rizhana

Ashabil Rizhana

Operations Manager

How To Create Your First FHIR Resource Like A Pro
General

How To Create Your First FHIR Resource Like A Pro

Learn to create FHIR patient resources: Navigate HL7, use JSON schemas and code with VS Code for seamless development. Learn healthcare interoperability step-by-step.

Ashabil Rizhana

Ashabil Rizhana

Operations Manager

Volume based care to Value based care in India
General

Volume based care to Value based care in India

India's PM-JAY aims for value-based care with bundled pricing, tech access, and quality incentives for better health outcomes.

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Co-Founder and Product

Migrating Legacy Data to FHIR at scale using ETL's
General

Migrating Legacy Data to FHIR at scale using ETL's

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) moves data from legacy systems to FHIR, using Apache Debezium and Nifi for syncing databases in FHIR format.

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Poornachandra Vivekanenda

Co-Founder and Product

Case Study - Implementing ABDM for the Government of Andhra Pradesh
General

Case Study - Implementing ABDM for the Government of Andhra Pradesh

Medblocks implemented all 3 ABDM milestones for Andhra Pradesh's Health Ministry, overcoming challenges with ABHA API, webhook handling, encryption, and FHIR data transformation, contributing to India's digital healthcare evolution.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

ABDM: Ushering in the UPI moment of healthcare
General

ABDM: Ushering in the UPI moment of healthcare

ABDM digitalizes India's healthcare with health IDs, interoperability, and data security, aiming for universal coverage via digital platforms.

Shaonli Dasgupta

Shaonli Dasgupta

Business Analyst

How to Use the openEHR Clinical Knowledge Manager
General

How to Use the openEHR Clinical Knowledge Manager

A beginner friendly guide to to navigating the openEHR CKM or Clinical Knowledge Manager, including searching, viewing and downloading clinical artefacts like archetypes and templates.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

Extensions to SNOMED CT
General

Extensions to SNOMED CT

SNOMED allows creating extensions for terms not in its release, adhering to specific rules for standards. Extensions can map to pre-coordinated concepts or require post-coordination, published with a namespace for semantic interoperability.

S. B. Bhattacharyya

S. B. Bhattacharyya

Clinical Modeller

Understanding the openEHR Clinical Knowledge Manager
General

Understanding the openEHR Clinical Knowledge Manager

In this comprehensive guide to the Clinical Knowledge Manager, understand how the CKM drives the core principles of openEHR - ensuring and facilitating standardization, interoperability, governance and community development.

Safa

Safa

Analyst and E-Learning Instructor

SMART on FHIR-Frontend Flows
General

SMART on FHIR-Frontend Flows

SMART on FHIR enables health apps to connect with EHRs securely, including OAuth2 and OpenID for authorization and authentication. It supports standalone and EHR app launches, emphasizing security, PKCE support, and specifying access through scopes.

Kritika Goyal

Kritika Goyal

Business Development

What is a Simple Refset in SNOMED CT?
General

What is a Simple Refset in SNOMED CT?

Refsets in SNOMED CT allow subsets for specific use cases, enabling standard compliance and external sharing. They cater to language, mappings, and situational needs with a mandatory regeneration post-SNOMED release.

S. B. Bhattacharyya

S. B. Bhattacharyya

Clinical Modeller

CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule
General

CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule

CMS's Patient Access Rule mandates HL7 FHIR API for data access, provider directory via API, payer-to-payer data exchange, and daily federal-state data exchanges, enhancing interoperability and patient data access.

Shaonli Dasgupta

Shaonli Dasgupta

Business Analyst

SMART on FHIR Authentication for Backend Services
General

SMART on FHIR Authentication for Backend Services

SMART on FHIR defines two ways in which clients can authenticate - symmetric (shared secret) and asymmetric (public key) client authentication.

Kritika Goyal

Kritika Goyal

Business Development

FHIR poised to gain center stage  in the US
General

FHIR poised to gain center stage in the US

FHIR leads healthcare interoperability, enabling secure data exchange across systems. CMS/ONC's initiatives like Blue Button 2.0, BCDA, and DPC pilot utilize FHIR for Medicare data sharing, enhancing patient access and care coordination.

Shaonli Dasgupta

Shaonli Dasgupta

Business Analyst

The Story of Medblocks
Opinion

The Story of Medblocks

Medblocks, initially focused on blockchain for medical record interoperability, evolved to address healthcare data challenges utilizing openEHR, FHIR, SNOMED, and LOINC for standardized data format and terminology, and using OAuth2 for secure data access

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

Case study - Global Portable Health Clinic
General

Case study - Global Portable Health Clinic

PHC system by Kyushu University & Grameen Communications uses eHealth and telemedicine, integrates openEHR and FHIR, serving 45,000+ since 2010, now includes Tele-Pathology and Tele-Eye Care.

Shaonli Dasgupta

Shaonli Dasgupta

Business Analyst

The SNOMED CT Browser Explained
General

The SNOMED CT Browser Explained

Use SNOMED CT Browser for exploring clinical concepts, synonyms, relationships, and semantic tags. Supports ECL for advanced search and MRCM for rules validation.

Kritika Goyal

Kritika Goyal

Business Development

Introducing Medblocks UI
General

Introducing Medblocks UI

Medblocks UI, open-source alternative to Better EHR Studio for auto-generating forms from openEHR templates, now available under Apache 2 license.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

Case Study - Vijay Williams Covid Care, India
General

Case Study - Vijay Williams Covid Care, India

Dr. Sidharth and team developed a Covid care application for Dr. Sunil Gokavi's facility during the second wave, enhancing patient data analysis and care readiness.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO

Frontend Frameworks - Why you should reconsider
General

Frontend Frameworks - Why you should reconsider

Exploring web components for front-end development, moving from Vue to Svelte for Medblocks UI due to performance, with a focus on lit-html and web components for framework-independent, efficient UI construction.

Sidharth Ramesh

Sidharth Ramesh

Founder and CEO