Clinical Document Architecture
2.0.2-sd - release

This page is part of the CDA: Clinical Document Architecture (v2.0.2-sd: CDA 2.0 - Informative) generated with FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) v5.0.0. This is the current published version in its permanent home (it will always be available at this URL). For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions

Logical Model: Section (CDA Class)

Official URL: http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/Section Version: 2.0.2-sd
Active as of 2025-12-12 Computable Name: Section

Document sections can nest, can override context propagated from the header (See CDA Context), and can contain narrative and CDA entries.

An XML attribute "ID" of type XML ID, is added to Section within the CDA Schema. This attribute serves as the target of a linkHtml reference (see linkHtml). All values of attributes of type XML ID must be unique within the document (per the W3C XML specification).

The narrative of each Section, together with the multimedia content referenced in the narrative, comprises the complete authenticated content of the Section. This multimedia content consists of ObservationMedia and RegionOfInterest entries referenced by renderMultimedia tags in the Section.text. This is the only case where the entries contain authenticated content that must be rendered with the narrative.

'COMP' vs 'DRIV' Entries

In terms of the relationship between a section and its entries, CDA defines a default general case, and a more specific case that can be used when applicable.

The entry relationship is defaulted to "COMP" (component), for the general case where the only assertion is that the related entries are contained within the source section and no other semantics are implied. In this case, the narrative is the original authenticated content. The CDA entries are created by various techniques (e.g., natural language processing, a human coder, a structured data entry tool that outputs both entries and a text report). The method of entry creation may be indicated by the entry participants (e.g., by identifying the algorithm or person that generated them). Relationships between various entries (such as two Observations or an Observation and an ObservationMedia) are encoded using the relationship types defined in EntryRelationship.

A section may also have no narrative content in the case where the entries represent information that is not part of the clinical content of the document. A report may embed information referencing evidence data, reagents, calibration or other information that may be used for later processing but is not part of the clinical content. Such entries are also linked to the Section with ActRelationships possessing typeCode="COMP".

The entry relationship "DRIV" (is derived from) can be used in the special case where the narrative is fully derived from CDA Entries. When a report consisting entirely of structured entries is transformed into CDA, the encoding application must ensure that the authenticated content (narrative plus multimedia) is a faithful and complete rendering of the clinical content of the structured source data. This ensures that the narrative plus multimedia represents, as in all CDA documents, the complete authenticated content of the Section. In this case, narrative plus multimedia does not contain any clinical content that is not present in the Entries. An example of this case is a DICOM Structured Reporting document of obstetrical measurements made by ultrasound, rendered into a tabular report by a program converting it to CDA narrative block. If the typeCode of the ActRelationship linking these Entries to the Section was "DRIV", it would indicate to a receiving application: 1) the source of the narrative block is the Entries; 2) the contents of the two are equivalent.

The entries sourced from a Section may have a mix of ActRelationship typeCodes. In such a case, the union of the targets with a "DRIV" relationship are those used to generate the narrative block, and are those that, taken in total, are equivalent to the narrative block. Additional entries with "COMP" relationships are contained within the same section, with no implied semantics.

Usages:

You can also check for usages in the FHIR IG Statistics

Formal Views of Template Content

Description of Template, Differentials, Snapshots and how the different presentations work.

This structure is derived from InfrastructureRoot

NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings (Differential)

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.
NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
... realmCode 0..* CS
... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
.... @displayable 0..1 bl
.... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
.... @extension 1..1 st
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... id 0..1 II Unique instance identifier of a particular document section
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... realmCode 0..* CS
.... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
..... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
..... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
..... @displayable 0..1 bl
..... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
..... @extension 1..1 st
.... templateId 0..* II
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.typeId.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.
Section.component.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.component.typeId.​nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG

Constraints

Id Grade Path(s) Description Expression
II-1 error Section.typeId, Section.component.typeId An II instance must have either a root or an nullFlavor. root.exists() or nullFlavor.exists()
NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
... realmCode 0..* CS
... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
.... @displayable 0..1 bl
.... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
.... @extension 1..1 st
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... id 0..1 II Unique instance identifier of a particular document section
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... realmCode 0..* CS
.... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
..... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
..... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
..... @displayable 0..1 bl
..... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
..... @extension 1..1 st
.... templateId 0..* II
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.typeId.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.
Section.component.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.component.typeId.​nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG

Constraints

Id Grade Path(s) Description Expression
II-1 error Section.typeId, Section.component.typeId An II instance must have either a root or an nullFlavor. root.exists() or nullFlavor.exists()

This structure is derived from InfrastructureRoot

Differential View

This structure is derived from InfrastructureRoot

NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings (Differential)

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.

Key Elements View

NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
... realmCode 0..* CS
... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
.... @displayable 0..1 bl
.... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
.... @extension 1..1 st
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... id 0..1 II Unique instance identifier of a particular document section
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... realmCode 0..* CS
.... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
..... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
..... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
..... @displayable 0..1 bl
..... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
..... @extension 1..1 st
.... templateId 0..* II
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.typeId.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.
Section.component.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.component.typeId.​nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG

Constraints

Id Grade Path(s) Description Expression
II-1 error Section.typeId, Section.component.typeId An II instance must have either a root or an nullFlavor. root.exists() or nullFlavor.exists()

Snapshot View

NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
.. Section 1..1 InfrastructureRoot XML Namespace: urn:hl7-org:v3
Base for all types and resources

Elements defined in Ancestors:@nullFlavor, realmCode, typeId, templateId
Instance of this type are validated by templateId
Logical Container: ClinicalDocument (CDA Class)
... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
... realmCode 0..* CS
... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
.... @displayable 0..1 bl
.... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
.... @extension 1..1 st
... @ID 0..1 xs:ID Can serve as a target of a linkHtml reference
... @classCode 0..1 cs Binding: ActClassRecordOrganizer (required)
Fixed Value: DOCSECT
... @moodCode 0..1 cs Binding: CDAActMood (required)
Fixed Value: EVN
... id 0..1 II Unique instance identifier of a particular document section
... code 0..1 CE Kind of section
... title 0..1 ST Label of a section
... text 0..1 xhtml Narrative to be rendered
... confidentialityCode 0..1 CE Controls the disclosure of information in this section
... languageCode 0..1 CS Human language of character data
Binding: AllLanguages (required)
... subject 0..1 Subject Primary target of the entries recorded in a section
... author 0..* Author
... informant 0..* Informant
... entry 0..* Entry
... component 0..* InfrastructureRoot Used to nest a Section within a Section
.... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
.... realmCode 0..* CS
.... typeId C 0..1 II Constraints: II-1
..... @nullFlavor 0..1 cs Binding: CDANullFlavor (required)
..... @assigningAuthorityName 0..1 st
..... @displayable 0..1 bl
..... @root 1..1 oid, uuid, ruid Fixed Value: 2.16.840.1.113883.1.3
..... @extension 1..1 st
.... templateId 0..* II
.... @typeCode 0..1 cs Fixed Value: COMP
.... @contextConductionInd 0..1 bl Fixed Value: true
.... section 1..1 Section

doco Documentation for this format

Terminology Bindings

Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
Section.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.typeId.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.classCode Base required ActClassRecordOrganizer 📦2.0.0 THO v5.2
Section.moodCode Base required CDAActMood 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.languageCode Base required All Languages 📦5.0.0 FHIR Std.
Section.component.nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG
Section.component.typeId.​nullFlavor Base required CDANullFlavor 📦2.0.2-sd This IG

Constraints

Id Grade Path(s) Description Expression
II-1 error Section.typeId, Section.component.typeId An II instance must have either a root or an nullFlavor. root.exists() or nullFlavor.exists()

This structure is derived from InfrastructureRoot

 

Other representations of profile: CSV, Excel