HL7 FHIR® Implementation Guide: Physical Activity, Release 1 - US Realm

DESCRIPTION

This implementation guide covers the full spectrum of interoperability relating to assessing and enhancing patient physical activity levels. It is intended to support communication between clinical and similar systems that can diagnose physical inactivity and make referrals for potential interventions, the systems used by those who will respond to those referrals and help patients achieve appropriate physical activity levels, as well as the systems used by patients and their care-givers to track physical activity levels and engage with the practitioners who are supporting them.

The guide defines standards for evaluating the patient's overall physical activity level, including cardio and muscle-strengthening activity. It also supports capturing supporting measures such as average and resting heart rate, activity type and duration, step counts, etc. It also defines standards for sharing and monitoring adherence to goals and plans. Finally, it provides a full framework for creating and managing the referral process for physical activity-related interventions, including soliciting and managing patient engagement during the referral process. Much of this work aligns with the same processes used for assessing and managing social determinants of health through the Gravity IG.

ALTERNATIVE NAMES

HL7 FHIR® Implementation Guide: Physical Activity, Release 1 - US Realm may also go by the following names or acronyms:

BENEFITS

• Enables more U.S. residents to be supported in being physically active
• Encourages the clinical community to consistently monitor physical activity as a health risk factor in the same manner as smoking, blood pressure, and other critical healthcare considerations

IMPLEMENTATIONS/CASE STUDIES

• This guide was sponsored by the Physical Activity Alliance and the American Heart Association and the content was reviewed by a wide range of stakeholders
• Testing has included some level of participation from Epic, Cerner, Welld Health, Indicina, and a reference implementation.

DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND

The guide is primarily sponsored by US organizations and leverages US Core profiles. As such, it is targeted at US implementers. However, most of the content is not U.S.-specific and could easily be leveraged in other jurisdictions.

Being physically active is one of the most important lifestyle behaviors people can engage in to maintain physical and mental health and well-being. It is relevant across almost all age groups, from preschoolers to the elderly. Regular physical activity is both health-promoting and important for chronic disease and infectious disease treatment and prevention with numerous benefits that contribute to a disability-free lifespan. Active living can also enhance social connectedness, quality of life, and environmental sustainability.

Currently in the US, one in four adults are physically inactive with increasing prevalence across some geographies and in certain race/ethnicities. Only 26 percent of men, 19 percent of women, and 20 percent of adolescents, report sufficient activity to meet the relevant aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines. The current levels of physical inactivity in the US population create $117 billion in annual healthcare costs and contribute about 10 percent of premature mortality. Even so, current population physical activity levels avert 3.9 million premature deaths globally and 140,200 premature deaths in the US on an annual basis.

The information sharing enabled by this IG will enable more U.S. residents to be supported in being physically active and will encourage the clinical community to consistently monitor physical activity as a health risk factor in the same manner as smoking, blood pressure, and other critical healthcare considerations.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

HL7 FHIR® Implementation Guide: Physical Activity, Release 1 - US Realm

STU DOCUMENTS

HL7 FHIR® Implementation Guide: Physical Activity, Release 1 - US Realm See the standard at http://hl7.org/fhir/us/physical-activity/STU1.

Expiration Aug 2025

TOPICS

• Patient Care
• Patient Referral

BALLOT TYPE

• STU

STATUS DATE

2023-08-25

RESPONSIBLE WORK GROUP

PRODUCT TYPE

• Implementation Guide

STAKEHOLDERS

• EHR, PHR Vendors
• Healthcare Institutions
• Payors
• Quality Reporting Agencies

FAMILY

• FHIR

CURRENT STATE

• Active

REALM

• US Realm