Getting FHIR Data on Browser version of PowerBI

[curioMed]

Hi

I've started working on the browser version of Power BI, as I have a Mac, and can't really set up a Windows image just yet. I'm trying to connect to a FHIR data server but can't find the 'Other' option that is quite easily visible in the Desktop version shown in videos. Currently, I have set up a Workspace and selected 'Add -> GetData'. I get an option to 'Add New Item' but when I click on it, I can't see any option to search for a FHIR data type and connect to a FHIR server. Attaching a screenshot. Will appreciate help and guidance on this please. Thanks

[Nasif_Azam]

Hey @curioMed ,

Thanks for sharing the screenshot and context!

You're correct Power BI Desktop offers a wider variety of data source connectors (like FHIR, OData, Web, etc.), but Power BI in the browser (Service or Fabric) has a more limited interface, especially when it comes to connecting to APIs or custom data sources like FHIR.

What You’re Seeing in Power BI (Browser/Fabric Experience)

In your screenshot, you're inside Microsoft Fabric, not just the classic Power BI Service. Specifically:

• You're using the Data Science or Data Engineering experience (with pipeline elements like Get Data, Analyze and Train, and Add New Item).

• The “Get data” task here refers to loading data using options like:

  • Notebook

  • Spark Job Definition

  • Dataflow Gen2

  • Data Pipeline

  • Copy job, etc.

These do not expose the “Other” connectors you’d expect in Power BI Desktop, such as:

• Web (for REST API calls)

• OData

• FHIR

• Custom connectors

Option 1: Use Dataflow Gen2 + Power Query M

You can:

1. Select Dataflow Gen2.

2. In the Power Query editor, choose Blank query.

3. Use the Web.Contents() function in Power Query M to connect to the FHIR REST API.

let
    Source = Json.Document(Web.Contents("https://your.fhir.server/Patient"))
in
    Source

Make sure CORS is not an issue and your FHIR server allows browser access.

Option 2: Use a Notebook or Data Pipeline

If you’re comfortable with code:

• Use a Notebook (PySpark or Python) to:

  • Send an HTTP GET request to the FHIR server.

  • Parse the response using requests and json packages.

  • Load the data into a Lakehouse or Warehouse table.

Then, you can connect a Power BI report to that Lakehouse table.

Option 3: Build the Connection Outside Power BI

Since browser-based Power BI lacks advanced connectivity:

• Use a tool like Azure Data Factory or Logic Apps to pull FHIR data into storage (e.g., Azure SQL, Data Lake).

• Then connect Power BI Service to that storage.

Why You Can’t Find the ‘Other’ Option

The "Other" connector is specific to Power BI Desktop, which allows:

• Custom connectors

• More direct REST API usage

• Advanced transformation in M

Power BI (Web) doesn't support this directly yet. Even “OData” is only available in very limited UI paths or via workarounds (like through Dataflow Gen2).

If you found this solution helpful, please consider accepting it and giving it a kudos (Like) it’s greatly appreciated and helps others find the solution more easily.

Best Regards,
Nasif Azam

[curioMed]

Thanks @Akash_Varuna . Yeah I had to then download the deskptop version but can't seem to find how to create a Workspace. Didn't expect it to be that hard tbh! I keep losing the data I'm connecting to everytime I sign off for the day so was hoping it'll be maintained in the workspace I create. Any help with this will be great. Thanks

[Akash_Varuna]

@curioMed Inorder to create a workspace, go to the Power BI Service (browser version), click "Workspaces," and then "Create a workspace." Publish your Power BI Desktop report to the workspace to save data connections. This will ensure your data is maintained across sessions.

[curioMed]

Sure, I'll give this a try. Thanks for your help 👍

[Akash_Varuna]

Hi @curioMed it might be because the Fabric interface doesn't yet support direct connections to FHIR servers. You could try using Power BI Desktop for FHIR integration or exporting FHIR data to a supported format for upload into your Fabric workspace.