Overview
This node enables interaction with FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) servers by performing various operations on FHIR resources. Specifically, the Create operation allows users to create a new FHIR resource on a specified FHIR server.
Common scenarios where this node is beneficial include:
- Automating the creation of patient records, observations, or other healthcare-related data in a FHIR-compliant system.
- Integrating healthcare applications with FHIR servers to programmatically add new clinical or administrative data.
- Building workflows that require dynamic creation of healthcare resources based on external triggers or data inputs.
For example, a healthcare provider could use this node to automatically create an "Observation" resource when new lab results are received, or a research application might create "Patient" resources as part of data ingestion pipelines.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Authentication | The method used to authenticate requests to the FHIR server. Options include: Basic Auth, Custom Auth, Digest Auth, Header Auth, None, OAuth1, OAuth2, Query Auth. |
| Base URL | The base URL of the target FHIR server API where the resource will be created. |
| Resource Type | The type of FHIR resource to create (e.g., Patient, Observation, MedicationRequest). A comprehensive list of standard FHIR resource types is provided, plus an option for a custom resource type. |
| Custom Resource Type | If "Resource Type" is set to "- Custom -", specify the custom resource type name here. |
| Tenant ID | Optional tenant identifier to include in request headers, useful for multi-tenant FHIR servers. |
| Body | The JSON representation of the FHIR resource to create. This must be valid JSON conforming to the structure of the chosen resource type. |
| Specify Query Parameters | How to specify additional query parameters for the request: either using key-value pairs or raw JSON. (More relevant for other operations; included here for completeness.) |
| Query Parameters | Key-value pairs of query parameters to include in the request URL. |
| JSON | Raw JSON string representing query parameters (if specifying query parameters as JSON). |
| FHIR Path | An optional FHIRPath expression to extract specific data from the response output. |
| Ignore SSL Issues | Whether to allow connections even if SSL certificate validation fails (useful for self-signed certificates or development environments). |
Output
The node outputs the created FHIR resource as JSON in the json field of the output item. The structure corresponds exactly to the resource created on the FHIR server, including all fields returned by the server after creation (such as assigned IDs, metadata, and any server-generated values).
If a FHIRPath expression is provided, the output can be filtered or transformed accordingly before being passed downstream.
No binary data output is produced by this operation.
Dependencies
- Requires access to a FHIR server endpoint supporting the RESTful FHIR API.
- Supports multiple authentication methods; appropriate credentials or tokens must be configured in n8n.
- May require tenant-specific headers if the FHIR server uses multi-tenancy.
- Optionally requires environment configuration to handle SSL certificate validation depending on the
Ignore SSL Issuessetting.
Troubleshooting
- Invalid JSON in Body: If the JSON body is malformed, the node will throw an error indicating invalid JSON. Ensure the body content is valid JSON and conforms to the FHIR resource schema.
- Authentication Errors: Incorrect or missing authentication credentials will cause request failures. Verify that the selected authentication method is correctly configured.
- Base URL Issues: An incorrect or unreachable base URL will result in connection errors. Confirm the FHIR server URL is correct and accessible.
- Tenant ID Header Problems: If the tenant ID is required but not provided or incorrect, the server may reject the request. Provide the correct tenant ID if applicable.
- SSL Certificate Validation: If connecting to a server with a self-signed or invalid SSL certificate, enable the "Ignore SSL Issues" option to bypass validation.
- Server Errors: The FHIR server may return errors if the resource violates constraints or business rules. Review the server's error message for details.