Streamlining secure web form generation
Client
Services
Technologies
The project
Health New Zealand needed a cost-effective way to generate secure web forms for sensitive health data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, bespoke development for each new form was challenging and risky during a time of urgency. To streamline their process for future forms, they wanted a solution that would allow their internal teams to generate arbitrary web forms from requirements without any developer involvement.
What is FHIR?
FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is a standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically. Developed by Health Level Seven International (HL7), FHIR aims to simplify the implementation and integration of various healthcare systems, allowing them to communicate with each other in a consistent and standardised way.
The solution
Abletech developed a client-side form renderer capable of taking a FHIR Questionnaire Resource and automatically generating a web form. This renderer dynamically creates forms based on the provided FHIR definitions, allowing Health New Zealand to quickly deploy new forms without additional development costs.
Profiling the form
Health New Zealand collaborates with clinicians to develop the questions and requirements for the form. These are then handed to an experienced FHIR professional, who creates a FHIR Questionnaire Resource that represents the questions and encodes conditional logic, validation, and advanced features like calculations with FhirPaths.
Filing it out
Once the form is ready, a magic link is generated for the user and sent via text, email, or embedded in another platform, allowing the user to securely fill out the form without storing any personal identifiable information.
Consuming responses
After the user submits the form, the response is $extract-ed to create new FHIR Resources and uploaded to the FHIR server. These can then be consumed by downstream systems for seamless integration of the collected data.
Features
FHIR Integration
The solution seamlessly integrated with Health New Zealand’s FHIR infrastructure, utilizing the FHIR Questionnaire and QuestionnaireResponse Resources to handle form data.
"Magic Links" for Secure Access
Abletech implemented a unique authentication feature using “magic links,” which are pre-signed, encrypted URLs. These links allow for stateless authentication, securely identifying users without storing any sensitive information on the system.
Data Security
Every aspect of the solution was designed with privacy in mind, ensuring that sensitive patient data was handled securely, meeting stringent healthcare security regulations.
Reduced Time and Complexity
The new system eliminated the need for bespoke development, enabling Health New Zealand to deploy new forms quickly and efficiently—an important benefit following the challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
White-Labelling
To maximise the project’s impact, Abletech designed the form renderer to be white-labelled. This allows other health agencies in New Zealand to leverage the same technology, benefiting from the system’s scalability and security without incurring additional development costs.
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