HL7 vs FHIR: What Healthcare Leaders Need to Know
HL7 and FHIR are the two most important standards for healthcare data exchange.
HL7
A long-standing standard used for messaging between hospital systems like LIS, RIS, Pharmacy, and Billing.
FHIR
A modern, API-based standard designed for mobile apps, portals, analytics tools, and new digital health platforms.
Key Differences
- HL7: Used for legacy systems and traditional hospital interfaces
- FHIR: Faster, flexible, ideal for modern healthcare applications
- HL7: Text-based messaging
- FHIR: Web-based, API-driven communication
Why FHIR Is Growing
FHIR supports patient engagement tools, telehealth, mobile applications, and advanced interoperability needs.
Conclusion: HL7 keeps existing hospital systems connected, while FHIR enables the next generation of digital healthcare.
