Listen for patient record updates

Listening for patient record updates is one of the most commonly used API actions. Typically, you can use this API action so that you are notified when any of these events occur within your connection’s EHR system:

A new patient is added.
An existing patient has updates for registration or demographic information.
An existing patient has either new insurance or updates to existing insurance.
An existing patient checks in for a specific visit or registers for an outpatient visit.
An existing patient cancels an outpatient visit.

This API action is useful if you want to maintain a patient database for your own system—whether for the long-term or short-term—or if you need updates on patient insurance data.

Supported systems

You can receive notifications like this with the Redox FHIR® API.

Your connection's system can push notifications with a polling or subscription type of system.

Lightweight or detailed notification

Depending on your connection’s capabilities, you can opt in for lightweight or detailed notifications.

Typically, a lightweight notification is a bare bones message that says “something is new” or “something has changed,” along with the relevant identifier (e.g, patient, visit #). Lightweight notifications generally trigger you to do something within your own workflow or to query for more information.

On the other hand, a detailed notification means that you receive all the data about what’s new or what has changed. This might be useful if you need to persist all that data in your system to complete your own unique workflow.

Things you need to know

Listening for some updates

Listening for all updates

Patient backfill

Patient data structure

Insurance data

Merging patient records

What's next?

Does this API action seem like a good fit for your unique workflow? If so, let your Redox rep know! You can begin development by downloading the relevant resource schema (which is noted in the relevant action step below), and deciding which data elements you need. Then head over to our Quickstart guide to dive right in.

If you're not engaged with our sales team yet, talk to a Redoxer to get started.

Action steps

1
Listen for patient registration updates
optional
2
Listen for new patient notifications
optional
3
Listen for patient update notifications
optional
4
Listen for patient merge notifications
optional

Listen for patient registration updates

For patient registration, the EHR system sends a notification when a patient's demographics are updated during an inpatient or outpatient visit.

To review technical specifications for this notification, refer to the Patient Registered schema.

How to respond to FHIR notifications

Upon receiving this type of message, you only need to respond with the relevant HTTP status code. After that, you decide what your system should do with the notification.

Notification

{
  "id": "PatientAdminEventPatientRegisteredBundleExample",
  "type": "message",
  "entry": [
    {
      "resource": {
        "id": "RedoxMessageHeaderExample",
        "source": {
          "name": "Good Health Clinics",
          "endpoint": "05107c08-fe2f-4740-8c1d-c7107d18ebe5"
        },
        "eventCoding": {
          "code": "PatientAdmin-event-patient-registered",
          "system": "urn:redox:event-type"
        },
        "resourceType": "MessageHeader"
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Patient?identifier=urn:redox:redox-fhir-sandbox:MR|kyHGADnvX3xbkU4V9ayaqh",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient"
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Encounter?identifier=urn:redox:encounterId|zzz123Encounter",
      "resource": {
        "class": {
          "code": "AMB",
          "system": "http://terminology.hl7.org/ValueSet/v3-ActEncounterCode"
        },
        "status": "planned",
        "resourceType": "Encounter"
      }
    }
  ],
  "timestamp": "2021-06-17T20:33:22.422Z",
  "resourceType": "Bundle"
}

Listen for new patient notifications

The EHR system sends a notification whenever a patient record is created. To review technical specifications for this notification, refer to the Patient Created schema.

This one step is also encompassed in Listening for patient registration notifications. Depending on the EHR system and what they support, you may need to use this independent action step instead of the combined patient registration action step to get the same data.

How to respond to FHIR notifications

Upon receiving this type of message, you only need to respond with the relevant HTTP status code. After that, you decide what your system should do with the notification.

Notification

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "id": "PatientAdminEventPatientCreatedBundleExample",
  "type": "message",
  "timestamp": "2021-06-17T20:33:22.422Z",
  "entry": [
    {
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "MessageHeader",
        "id": "RedoxMessageHeaderExample",
        "source": {
          "name": "Good Health Clinics",
          "endpoint": "05107c08-fe2f-4740-8c1d-c7107d18ebe5"
        },
        "eventCoding": {
          "system": "urn:redox:event-type",
          "code": "PatientAdmin-event-patient-created"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Patient?identifier=urn:redox:redox-fhir-sandbox:MR|kyHGADnvX3xbkU4V9ayaqh",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Listen for patient update notifications

The EHR system sends a notification whenever a patient's record is updated (e.g., a patient's phone number is updated to a new number). To review technical specifications for this notification, refer to the Patient Updated schema.

This one step is also encompassed in Listen for patient registration notifications. Depending on the EHR system and what they support, you may need to use this independent action step instead of the combined patient registration action step to get the same data.

How to respond to FHIR notifications

Upon receiving this type of message, you only need to respond with the relevant HTTP status code. After that, you decide what your system should do with the notification.

Notification

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "id": "PatientAdminEventPatientUpdatedBundleExample",
  "type": "message",
  "timestamp": "2021-06-17T20:33:22.422Z",
  "entry": [
    {
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "MessageHeader",
        "id": "RedoxMessageHeaderExample",
        "source": {
          "name": "Good Health Clinics",
          "endpoint": "05107c08-fe2f-4740-8c1d-c7107d18ebe5"
        },
        "eventCoding": {
          "system": "urn:redox:event-type",
          "code": "PatientAdmin-event-patient-updated"
        }
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Patient?identifier=urn:redox:redox-fhir-sandbox:MR|kyHGADnvX3xbkU4V9ayaqh",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Listen for patient merge notifications

The EHR system sends a notification whenever two patients records are merged. To review technical specifications for this notification, refer to the Patient Merged schema.

How to respond to FHIR notifications

Upon receiving this type of message, you only need to respond with the relevant HTTP status code. After that, you decide what your system should do with the notification.

Notification

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "id": "PatientAdminEventPatientMergedBundleExample",
  "type": "message",
  "entry": [
    {
      "resource": {
        "eventCoding": {
          "code": "PatientAdmin-event-patient-merged",
          "system": "urn:redox:event-type"
        },
        "resourceType": "MessageHeader",
        "id": "RedoxMessageHeaderExample",
        "meta": {
          "profile": [
            "https://fhir.redoxengine.com/StructureDefinition/redox-message-header"
          ]
        },
        "source": {
          "name": "Good Health Clinics",
          "endpoint": "05107c08-fe2f-4740-8c1d-c7107d18ebe5"
        },
        "focus": [
          {
            "reference": "Patient/RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedNew"
          }
        ],
        "definition": "https://fhir.redoxengine.com/MessageDefinition/PatientAdminEventPatientMergedMessageDefinition"
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Patient/RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedNew",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient",
        "id": "RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedNew",
        "meta": {
          "profile": [
            "https://fhir.redoxengine.com/StructureDefinition/redox-patient"
          ]
        },
        "identifier": [
          {
            "value": "0000000001",
            "system": "urn:redox:health-one:MR"
          },
          {
            "value": "101-01-0001",
            "system": "http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/us-ssn"
          }
        ],
        "link": [
          {
            "other": {
              "reference": "Patient/RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedOld"
            },
            "type": "replaces"
          }
        ],
        "name": [
          {
            "given": [
              "Timothy",
              "Paul"
            ],
            "family": "Bixby"
          }
        ],
        "gender": "male",
        "birthDate": "2008-01-06"
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "https://api.redoxengine.com/fhir/R4/redox-fhir-sandbox/Development/Patient/RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedOld",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient",
        "id": "RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedOld",
        "meta": {
          "profile": [
            "https://fhir.redoxengine.com/StructureDefinition/redox-patient"
          ]
        },
        "identifier": [
          {
            "value": "0000000002",
            "system": "urn:redox:health-one:MR"
          },
          {
            "value": "101-01-0001",
            "system": "http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/us-ssn"
          }
        ],
        "link": [
          {
            "other": {
              "reference": "Patient/RedoxPatientExampleTimothyMinimalMergedNew"
            },
            "type": "replaced-by"
          }
        ],
        "name": [
          {
            "given": [
              "Timothy",
              "Paul"
            ],
            "family": "Bixby"
          }
        ],
        "gender": "male",
        "birthDate": "2008-01-06"
      }
    }
  ],
  "timestamp": "2021-06-17T20:33:22.422Z"
}

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