Healthcare Standards
Healthcare standards are formalized specifications, protocols, and guidelines that ensure interoperability, data exchange, security, and quality in healthcare systems. They include data formats like HL7 and FHIR, coding systems such as ICD and CPT, and regulatory frameworks like HIPAA. These standards enable seamless communication between electronic health records (EHRs), medical devices, and healthcare applications.
Developers should learn healthcare standards when building or integrating software for healthcare providers, insurers, or medical research, as they are essential for compliance, data accuracy, and system interoperability. Specific use cases include developing EHR systems, telehealth platforms, health data analytics tools, and applications that handle protected health information (PHI) under regulations like HIPAA in the U.S.