FHIR Implementation in Action: 

How Touchstone Life Care Improved Data Exchange

Touchstone Life Care (TLC) empowers individuals to create and manage their Advanced Care Plans (ACPs) digitally. Unlike traditional document-based ACPs, which require individuals or their trusted contacts to carry physical copies, Touchstone offers a seamless digital solution. By securely storing user preferences online, Touchstone ensures that ACPs are always accessible to healthcare providers and family members. These plans can be shared through a secure link and PIN code, eliminating the risks of misplaced or outdated documents.

Challenges Before FHIR Implementation

Struggles with Legacy Integration

Before adopting FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), integrating Touchstone’s system with other clinical systems in the Australian healthcare industry was cumbersome. Each new integration required extensive coordination, including multiple meetings, alignment on data formats, authentication mechanisms, and API specifications. This process had to be repeated for every new system, slowing down interoperability.

Inconsistent Data Exchange

Data exchange between systems required multiple API calls and complex data mapping, as each system had different schemas and formats. Often, both Touchstone and the integrated systems had to modify their APIs just to ensure compatibility. This manual and resource-intensive approach led to inefficiencies and delays.

Regulatory Compliance Pressure

Operating in the aged care sector, Touchstone needed to comply with strict data privacy and security regulations, government-mandated interoperability (My Health Record in Australia), and HL7 data standardization requirements. Manual processes and inconsistent data formats posed risks in meeting these compliance standards.

Impact on Clinicians and Administrators

Without interoperability, even a simple system integration became a major undertaking. Variations in data structure and labeling across different legacy systems made it difficult for clinicians to seamlessly access and use patient data, adding to their administrative burden.

Why FHIR?

Touchstone chose FHIR as its interoperability solution for several key reasons:

• Industry standard: Widely supported across major healthcare organizations.

• Real-time data exchange: More flexible than older HL7 versions.

• Seamless API integration: Designed for structured, scalable interoperability.

Why Partner with Whitefox?

Touchstone had already been working with Whitefox for system maintenance and integrations. Whitefox's extensive experience in healthcare projects, particularly FHIR-focused solutions like the SPARKED project in Australia, made them the ideal partner to lead this implementation.

FHIR Implementation: A Technical Approach

Building a Conversion Layer

To integrate FHIR into Touchstone’s system, Whitefox developed FHIR-based REST APIs alongside a converter/mapper layer (For more information, see here). This layer acted as a bridge, dynamically transforming data between Touchstone’s legacy schema and the FHIR standard, ensuring:

• No need for a separate FHIR database, preventing data duplication and inconsistencies.

• Seamless interaction with the existing Touchstone dashboard, which relied on the legacy data structure.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

1. Authentication Migration – Moving from an internal authentication system to a third-party solution for enhanced security and cloud reliability. The challenge was ensuring continuity for both existing and new users.

2. API Design Adjustments – Since Touchstone’s legacy system used GraphQL, Whitefox designed a separate REST API layer aligned with FHIR standards, managing authentication independently.

3. Dynamic Data Mapping – Instead of manually mapping each resource, Whitefox developed an AI-driven general-purpose mapper to handle schema changes automatically, reducing manual effort.

Minimal Disruption, Maximum Efficiency

Thanks to the conversion layer approach, no significant infrastructure changes were required. Additional support functions were implemented through AWS Lambda and custom database tables to ensure smooth dynamic conversion.

The Impacts

Seamless Data Exchange

With FHIR integration, Touchstone can now easily connect with other healthcare providers, aged care facilities, hospitals, and pharmacies. This enables real-time data exchange, reducing the reliance on manual data entry and minimizing errors.

Improved Workflow Efficiency

• Faster access to patient records

• Reduced duplication of data entry

• Automated compliance reporting, saving administrative time

Enhanced Patient Care

FHIR integration allows for quicker access to patient history and ACPs, ensuring healthcare providers make informed decisions faster. For example, an aged care system integrated with Touchstone can now automatically sync patient records, allowing residents to create and maintain ACPs that are always up-to-date and instantly accessible.

Stronger Industry Collaboration

FHIR has enabled real-time data sharing across hospitals, pharmacies, insurers, and aged care facilities, streamlining coordination and reducing the time and cost of healthcare system integrations.

Future-Proofing for Digital Health Innovations

With FHIR in place, Touchstone is well-positioned for AI-driven analytics, telemedicine integrations, and clinical trials. The robust data standard ensures secure, redacted, and anonymized use of patient data in future innovations.

Customer Satisfaction & Feedback

Dr. Merran Cooper, CEO of Touchstone Life Care, shared:

The Conclusion

Touchstone Life Care’s transition to FHIR has revolutionized its ability to integrate with Australia’s healthcare ecosystem. With Whitefox’s expertise, Touchstone now benefits from seamless interoperability, enhanced compliance, and improved patient care. The implementation has not only met all expectations but has also positioned Touchstone for future innovations in digital health. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, FHIR ensures Touchstone remains at the forefront of interoperability, efficiency, and patient-centered care.