Quick Guide to Using the FHIR Test Public API

The FHIR Test Public API is a web-based API that allows developers to quickly test and validate their FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) implementations. This API comes with a comprehensive documentation, which we will review in this guide. We’ll also provide examples of how to use the API with JavaScript, a popular programming language.

Getting Started

Before you can start using the FHIR Test Public API, you must first create an account on their site. This is a simple process that only requires an email and password.

Once you’ve created your account and logged in, you’ll have access to the API’s comprehensive documentation. The documentation has a detailed list of all the API endpoints, including their parameters, response formats, and other important details.

API Request Example in JavaScript

Let's take a look at how to make an API request to retrieve a patient’s data using JavaScript. In this example, we will be using the popular Axios library.

import axios from 'axios';

let url = "http://fhirtest.uhn.ca/baseDstu3/Patient/5";

axios.get(url)
  .then(response => {
    console.log(response.data);
  })
  .catch(error => {
    console.log(error);
  });

The above example sends an HTTP GET request to retrieve a patient’s data. The URL endpoint defines the resource type and id to be returned. An example of the resource type is the Patient resource type, and the ID refers to the ID of the patient whose data we want to retrieve.

For instance, in our example, the response should contain the data for the patient with the ID - 5.

Conclusion

That’s it! You now have a basic understanding of how to use the FHIR Test Public API. The API is a great tool for testing and validating FHIR implementations. With the comprehensive documentation, you should have no trouble getting started. If you have any questions or challenges, don't hesitate to check the documentation and other useful resources available on the API's website.