Abstract: Methods and systems for obtaining reference data from one or more EMR systems are described. A universal API request may be sent from an external application server to middleware. The universal API request may be translated into an EMR-specific request via the middleware. The EMR-specific request may be sent to the selected EMR system. An EMR-specific response may be received from the one or more EMR systems at the middleware, being generated by the selected EMR systems. The EMR-specific response may be translated into a universal API response via the middleware. The universal API response may be received at the external application server from the middleware.