diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManager.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..09b24657b66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import jakarta.annotation.Nonnull;
+
+import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
+
+public class AdapterManager implements IAdapterManager {
+	public static final AdapterManager INSTANCE = new AdapterManager();
+
+	Set<IAdapterFactory> myAdapterFactories = new HashSet<>();
+
+	/**
+	 * Hidden to force shared use of the public INSTANCE.
+	 */
+	AdapterManager() {}
+
+	public <T> @Nonnull Optional<T> getAdapter(Object theObject, Class<T> theTargetType) {
+		// todo this can be sped up with a cache of type->Factory.
+		return myAdapterFactories.stream()
+				.filter(nextFactory -> nextFactory.getAdapters().stream().anyMatch(theTargetType::isAssignableFrom))
+				.flatMap(nextFactory -> {
+					var adapter = nextFactory.getAdapter(theObject, theTargetType);
+					// can't use Optional.stream() because of our Android target is API level 26/JDK 8.
+					if (adapter.isPresent()) {
+						return Stream.of(adapter.get());
+					} else {
+						return Stream.empty();
+					}
+				})
+				.findFirst();
+	}
+
+	public void registerFactory(@Nonnull IAdapterFactory theFactory) {
+		myAdapterFactories.add(theFactory);
+	}
+
+	public void unregisterFactory(@Nonnull IAdapterFactory theFactory) {
+		myAdapterFactories.remove(theFactory);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtils.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..36237becd9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+public class AdapterUtils {
+
+	/**
+	 * Main entry point for adapter calls.
+	 * Implements three conversions: cast to the target type, use IAdaptable if present, or lastly try the AdapterManager.INSTANCE.
+	 * @param theObject the object to be adapted
+	 * @param theTargetType the type of the adapter requested
+	 */
+	static <T> Optional<T> adapt(Object theObject, Class<T> theTargetType) {
+		if (theTargetType.isInstance(theObject)) {
+			//noinspection unchecked
+			return Optional.of((T) theObject);
+		}
+
+		if (theObject instanceof IAdaptable) {
+			IAdaptable adaptable = (IAdaptable) theObject;
+			var adapted = adaptable.getAdapter(theTargetType);
+			if (adapted.isPresent()) {
+				return adapted;
+			}
+		}
+
+		return AdapterManager.INSTANCE.getAdapter(theObject, theTargetType);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdaptable.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdaptable.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5eb1b266b49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdaptable.java
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import jakarta.annotation.Nonnull;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+/**
+ * Generic version of Eclipse IAdaptable interface.
+ */
+public interface IAdaptable {
+	/**
+	 * Get an adapter of requested type.
+	 * @param theTargetType the desired type of the adapter
+	 * @return an adapter of theTargetType if possible, or empty.
+	 */
+	default <T> @Nonnull Optional<T> getAdapter(@Nonnull Class<T> theTargetType) {
+		return AdapterUtils.adapt(this, theTargetType);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterFactory.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterFactory.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a183705cc53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterFactory.java
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+/**
+ * Interface for external service that builds adaptors for targets.
+ */
+public interface IAdapterFactory {
+	/**
+	 * Build an adaptor for the target.
+	 * May return empty() even if the target type is listed in getAdapters() when
+	 * the factory fails to convert a particular instance.
+	 *
+	 * @param theObject the object to be adapted.
+	 * @param theAdapterType the target type
+	 * @return the adapter, if possible.
+	 */
+	<T> Optional<T> getAdapter(Object theObject, Class<T> theAdapterType);
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the collection of adapter target types handled by this factory.
+	 */
+	Collection<Class<?>> getAdapters();
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterManager.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterManager.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9550ccbdc27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/IAdapterManager.java
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+/**
+ * Get an adaptor
+ */
+public interface IAdapterManager {
+	<T> Optional<T> getAdapter(Object theTarget, Class<T> theAdapter);
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/package-info.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/package-info.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..de9e92df5c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/package-info.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/**
+ * Implements the Adapter pattern to allow external classes to extend/adapt existing classes.
+ * Useful for extending interfaces that are closed to modification, or restricted for classpath reasons.
+ * <p>
+ *     For clients, the main entry point is {@link ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters.AdapterUtils#adapt(java.lang.Object, java.lang.Class)}
+ *     which will attempt to cast to the target type, or build an adapter of the target type.
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ *     For implementors, you can support adaptation via two mechanisms:
+ *     <ul>
+ *         <li>by implementing {@link ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters.IAdaptable} directly on a class to provide supported adapters,
+ *         <li>or when the class is closed to direct modification, you can implement
+ *         an instance of {@link ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters.IAdapterFactory} and register
+ *         it with the public {@link ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters.AdapterManager#INSTANCE}.</li>
+ *     </ul>
+ *     The AdapterUtils.adapt() supports both of these.
+ * </p>
+ * Inspired by the Eclipse runtime.
+ */
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManagerTest.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManagerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ee621533587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterManagerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterAll;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+public class AdapterManagerTest {
+	AdapterManager myAdapterManager = new AdapterManager();
+
+	@AfterAll
+	static void tearDown() {
+		assertThat(AdapterManager.INSTANCE.myAdapterFactories)
+			.withFailMessage("Don't dirty the public instance").isEmpty();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testRegisterFactory_providesAdapter() {
+	    // given
+		myAdapterManager.registerFactory(new StringToIntFactory());
+
+	    // when
+		var result = myAdapterManager.getAdapter("22", Integer.class);
+
+	    // then
+	    assertThat(result).contains(22);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testRegisterFactory_wrongTypeStillEmpty() {
+		// given
+		myAdapterManager.registerFactory(new StringToIntFactory());
+
+		// when
+		var result = myAdapterManager.getAdapter("22", Float.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(result).isEmpty();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testUnregisterFactory_providesEmpty() {
+		// given active factory, now gone.
+		StringToIntFactory factory = new StringToIntFactory();
+		myAdapterManager.registerFactory(factory);
+		myAdapterManager.getAdapter("22", Integer.class);
+		myAdapterManager.unregisterFactory(factory);
+
+		// when
+		var result = myAdapterManager.getAdapter("22", Integer.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(result).isEmpty();
+	}
+
+
+	static class StringToIntFactory implements IAdapterFactory {
+		@Override
+		public <T> Optional<T> getAdapter(Object theObject, Class<T> theAdapterType) {
+			if (theObject instanceof String s) {
+				if (theAdapterType.isAssignableFrom(Integer.class)) {
+					@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+					T i = (T) Integer.valueOf(s);
+					return Optional.of(i);
+				}
+			}
+			return Optional.empty();
+		}
+
+		public Collection<Class<?>> getAdapters() {
+			return List.of(Integer.class);
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtilsTest.java b/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtilsTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c7dfef8661b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hapi-fhir-base/src/test/java/ca/uhn/fhir/util/adapters/AdapterUtilsTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+package ca.uhn.fhir.util.adapters;
+
+import jakarta.annotation.Nonnull;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.Set;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+class AdapterUtilsTest {
+
+	final private IAdapterFactory myTestFactory = new TestAdaptorFactory();
+
+	@AfterEach
+	void tearDown() {
+		AdapterManager.INSTANCE.unregisterFactory(myTestFactory);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testNullDoesNotAdapt() {
+
+		// when
+		var adapted = AdapterUtils.adapt(null, InterfaceA.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(adapted).isEmpty();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testAdaptObjectImplementingInterface() {
+		// given
+		var object = new ClassB();
+
+		// when
+		var adapted = AdapterUtils.adapt(object, InterfaceA.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(adapted)
+			.isPresent()
+			.get().isInstanceOf(InterfaceA.class);
+		assertThat(adapted.get()).withFailMessage("Use object since it implements interface").isSameAs(object);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testAdaptObjectImplementingAdaptorSupportingInterface() {
+		// given
+		var object = new SelfAdaptableClass();
+
+		// when
+		var adapted = AdapterUtils.adapt(object, InterfaceA.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(adapted)
+			.isPresent()
+			.get().isInstanceOf(InterfaceA.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void testAdaptObjectViaAdapterManager() {
+		// given
+		var object = new ManagerAdaptableClass();
+		AdapterManager.INSTANCE.registerFactory(myTestFactory);
+
+		// when
+		var adapted = AdapterUtils.adapt(object, InterfaceA.class);
+
+		// then
+		assertThat(adapted)
+			.isPresent()
+			.get().isInstanceOf(InterfaceA.class);
+	}
+
+	interface InterfaceA {
+
+	}
+
+	static class ClassB implements InterfaceA {
+
+	}
+
+	/** class that can adapt itself to IAdaptable */
+	static class SelfAdaptableClass implements IAdaptable {
+
+		@Nonnull
+		@Override
+		public <T> Optional<T> getAdapter(@Nonnull Class<T> theTargetType) {
+			if (theTargetType.isAssignableFrom(InterfaceA.class)) {
+				T value = theTargetType.cast(buildInterfaceAWrapper(this));
+				return Optional.of(value);
+			}
+			return Optional.empty();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private static @Nonnull InterfaceA buildInterfaceAWrapper(Object theObject) {
+		return new InterfaceA() {};
+	}
+
+	/** Class that relies on an external IAdapterFactory */
+	static class ManagerAdaptableClass {
+	}
+
+
+	static class TestAdaptorFactory implements IAdapterFactory {
+
+		@Override
+		public <T> Optional<T> getAdapter(Object theObject, Class<T> theAdapterType) {
+			if (theObject instanceof ManagerAdaptableClass && theAdapterType == InterfaceA.class) {
+				T adapter = theAdapterType.cast(buildInterfaceAWrapper(theObject));
+				return Optional.of(adapter);
+			}
+			return Optional.empty();
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public Collection<Class<?>> getAdapters() {
+			return Set.of(InterfaceA.class);
+		}
+	}
+}