FHIR RESTful API

The Health Gorilla API is built on the HL7® FHIR® RESTful architecture, where healthcare data is represented as resources and accessed through standard HTTP methods.

This model provides a consistent and predictable way for clients to read, search, create, update, and delete data across the API.

Resource URL Patterns

FHIR resources are accessed through RESTful URLs that follow a consistent pattern.

FHIR R4 (Synchronous APIs)

Use standard GET requests for resource access and search: GET /fhir/R4/{ResourceType}/{id} or GET /fhir/R4/{ResourceType}?search-parameters.

Examples:

• GET /fhir/R4/Patient/12345
• GET /fhir/R4/Observation?patient=12345&code=72166-2

FHIR STU3 (Asynchronous APIs)

Some workflows use FHIR STU3 and asynchronous operations for workflows such as Patient360.

Example:

• POST /fhir/3.0/DocumentReference/$p360-retrieve

These operations typically return a 202 Accepted response with a polling location for result retrieval.

Base URLs

Notice that the version (R4 or 3.0) is part of the path and it determines which FHIR implementation you are using.

For STU3 APIs, the version path is 3.0 instead of R4. Example: /fhir/3.0/.

HTTP Methods and Resource Actions

Core Principles

• Each type of clinical or administrative data (such as a patient, observation, or encounter) is represented as a FHIR resource.
• All resources are accessible via standard HTTP verbs.
  • GET – Read or search resources
  • POST – Create new resources
  • PUT – Replace existing resources
  • DELETE – Remove supported resources

Discovering Server Capabilities

To explore supported operations and resources, call the FHIR server’s CapabilityStatement using: GET /fhir/R4/metadata or GET /fhir/3.0/metadata depending on the server configuration. This endpoint returns a standard statement that describes server behavior, authentication settings, and supported interactions.

For more examples, go to: FHIR Standards & Compatibility