Question: FHIR Versioning

Jul 10, 2013

Question:

Can you tell me roughly when FHIR 1.0 is scheduled for? Is that the DSTU version? or is that the post-DSTU version?

Answer:

We’ve never formally discussed versioning for FHIR. At present, I’ve upped the minor version whenever we reach some kind of publishing milestone - typically, I up the version when we enter a connectathon freeze, and again afterwards when changes recommence. We’ve not had any policy discussion about it. I’m inclined to target 1.0 as the first full normative release. So the DSTU would be 0.5 maybe.

In terms of change control, we have stable periods in the lead up to connectathons - usually 4 -6 weeks. These have corresponded to ballots, and we’re shortly going to enter another one. Once DSTU is published, that will be stable for a long period - at least 12 months. We haven’t yet discussed how we’re going to handle further development post DSTU.