FHIRedApp: a LEAP in health information technology for promoting patient access to their medical information

OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to develop a patient engagement technology that makes it easy for patients to access their own medical information and share it with others. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This paper describes our design through an adapted Community Engagement Studio methodology to identify the needs and preferences of a diverse group of Latinx, African–American, and Asian–American individuals in the community. We use Human-Centered Design to interpret these needs and preferences to build a digital app platform, using national data standards, clinical data aggregators, and privacy-preserving solutions while maintaining the security and confidentiality of patients. RESULTS: We designed and developed FHIRedApp, an app platform, that allows patients to access their data and to share that access as HL7(®) FHIR(®) application programming interfaces with third-party app developers. We accomplished 2 major tasks: first, to demonstrate the use of interoperability and authentication standards, such as HL7(®) FHIR and OAuth2, to help develop patient engagement technologies, and second, to co-develop and co-design FHIRedApp with active involvement of African–American, Latinx, and Asian–American community members. Usability results show high satisfaction rates for FHIRedApp. CONCLUSION: The development of FHIRedApp demonstrates how technology innovations using national interoperability standards can be informed through a methodology of community engagement and human-centered design that involves local racial and ethnic groups.