Equine Data Standard

Open FHIR specification for equine data interoperability

Welcome to EQDS, the international open standard for equine data interoperability

Introduction

The Equine Data Standard (EQDS) is a comprehensive FHIR Implementation Guide that defines conformance requirements for systems exchanging equine health information. Built on HL7® FHIR® R5, EQDS extends the base specification to address the unique requirements of equine healthcare, including multi-owner structures, competition records, training data, and breeding information.

EQDS enables consistent, interoperable data exchange across the equine industry by providing standardized profiles, value sets, and exchange rules for horse identification, veterinary records, laboratory results, and competition data.

Background

Equine Healthcare Challenges

The equine industry faces unique data challenges that EQDS addresses:

  • Complex ownership structures with fractional ownership and multiple stakeholders
  • Integration of performance and competition data with health records across disciplines
  • Breeding and genetic lineage tracking for bloodline management and genetic health
  • Discipline-specific training and conditioning metrics tailored to different equestrian sports
  • Regulatory requirements for competition eligibility and interstate movement

Built Upon These Standards

Foundation Standards

EQDS leverages established healthcare and veterinary standards:

  • HL7 FHIR R5 - Base specification for healthcare interoperability
  • SNOMED CT Veterinary Extension (VetSCT) - Clinical terminology for veterinary medicine
  • AAHA Problem and Diagnosis Terms - Standardized veterinary diagnoses
  • AVMA veterinary informatics standards - Professional veterinary data standards
  • FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) - International competition standards

Use Cases

Primary Use Cases

  • Clinical Care - Recording and sharing veterinary examinations, treatments, and procedures across practices
  • Competition Management - Tracking fitness-for-competition, drug withdrawal times, and performance records
  • Breeding Operations - Managing reproductive health, genetic testing, and bloodline documentation
  • Training Programs - Documenting training sessions, conditioning programs, and performance metrics
  • Regulatory Compliance - Supporting Coggins testing, health certificates, and movement tracking for shows and sales

Who Should Use EQDS

Veterinary Practices

  • Share patient records seamlessly between practices
  • Access comprehensive health histories when treating new patients
  • Streamline regulatory reporting and compliance

Horse Owners & Trainers

  • Maintain complete health and performance records
  • Share data with veterinarians, trainers, and competition officials
  • Track training progress and competition eligibility

Competition Organizations

  • Verify horse eligibility and health status
  • Access drug testing and withdrawal time information
  • Maintain accurate competition records

Technology Vendors

  • Build interoperable equine management systems
  • Integrate with existing veterinary and competition platforms
  • Achieve EQDS certification for your products

Call to Action

Ready to Get Started?

For Implementers: Review the full technical specification to understand FHIR profiles, value sets, and conformance requirements. Also there is a single page with all specifications expanded for easy consumption by AI systems here: expanded JSON specification.

For Vendors: Learn about our certification process to ensure your system meets EQDS compliance standards.

For End Users: Contact your software vendor to request EQDS support, or explore our directory of certified systems.

Join the Community

  • Email: equinedatastandard@gmail.com
  • Website: https://eqds.org
  • GitHub: https://github.com/EQDS

Pull requests and community contributions are welcome. Help us build the future of equine data interoperability.

What EQDS Includes

Complete FHIR Implementation

EQDS provides a comprehensive FHIR R5 implementation designed specifically for equine healthcare:

  • 7 Resource Profiles - Patient, Observation, Medication Administration, Immunization, Procedure, Practitioner, Organization
  • 6 Code Systems - Equine sex, breeds, colors, disciplines, competition organizations, medications
  • 5 Extensions - Ownership, breeding info, color, withdrawal times, vaccination schedules
  • 8+ Examples - Complete implementation samples covering clinical care, competition, and training scenarios
  • Value Sets & Search Parameters - Standardized terminology and query capabilities

→ View complete technical specifications and download all resources