This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v1.2.0: STU 3 Draft). The current version which supercedes this version is 5.0.0. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions . Page versions: R5 R4B R4 R3 R2
Detailed Descriptions for the elements in the Group resource.
Group | |
Definition | Represents a defined collection of entities that may be discussed or acted upon collectively but which are not expected to act collectively and are not formally or legally recognized; i.e. a collection of entities that isn't an Organization. |
Control | 1..1 |
Invariants | Defined on this element grp-1: Can only have members if group is "actual" (expression: member.empty() or actual, xpath: f:actual/@value=true() or not(exists(f:member))) |
To Do | We need determiner codes that indicate we're talking about a group even when we haven't specified a specific quantity. |
Group.identifier | |
Definition | A unique business identifier for this group. |
Note | This is a business identifer, not a resource identifier (see discussion) |
Control | 0..* |
Type | Identifier |
Requirements | Allows the group to be referenced from external specifications. |
Summary | true |
Group.type | |
Definition | Identifies the broad classification of the kind of resources the group includes. |
Control | 1..1 |
Binding | GroupType: Types of resources that are part of group (Required) |
Type | code |
Requirements | Identifies what type of resources the group is made up of. |
Summary | true |
Comments | Group members SHALL be of the appropriate resource type (Patient for person or animal; or Practitioner, Device, Medicaiton or Substance for the other types.). |
Group.actual | |
Definition | If true, indicates that the resource refers to a specific group of real individuals. If false, the group defines a set of intended individuals. |
Control | 1..1 |
Type | boolean |
Requirements | There are use-cases for groups that define specific collections of individuals, and other groups that define "types" of intended individuals. The requirements for both kinds of groups are similar, so we use a single resource, distinguished by this flag. |
Summary | true |
Invariants | Affect this element grp-1: Can only have members if group is "actual" (expression: member.empty() or actual, xpath: f:actual/@value=true() or not(exists(f:member))) |
Group.code | |
Definition | Provides a specific type of resource the group includes; e.g. "cow", "syringe", etc. |
Control | 0..1 |
Binding | GroupKind: Kind of particular resource; e.g. cow, syringe, lake, etc. |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Summary | true |
Comments | This would generally be omitted for Person resources. |
Group.name | |
Definition | A label assigned to the group for human identification and communication. |
Control | 0..1 |
Type | string |
Requirements | Used to identify the group in human communication. |
Summary | true |
Group.quantity | |
Definition | A count of the number of resource instances that are part of the group. |
Control | 0..1 |
Type | unsignedInt |
Requirements | Group size is a common defining characteristic. |
Summary | true |
Comments | Note that the quantity may be less than the number of members if some of the members are not active. |
Group.characteristic | |
Definition | Identifies the traits shared by members of the group. |
Control | 0..* |
Requirements | Needs to be a generic mechanism for identifying what individuals can be part of a group. |
Comments | All the identified characteristics must be true for an entity to a member of the group. |
Group.characteristic.code | |
Definition | A code that identifies the kind of trait being asserted. |
Control | 1..1 |
Binding | GroupCharacteristicKind: List of characteristics used to describe group members; e.g. gender, age, owner, location, etc. |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Requirements | Need a formal way of identifying the characteristic being described. |
Group.characteristic.value[x] | |
Definition | The value of the trait that holds (or does not hold - see 'exclude') for members of the group. |
Control | 1..1 |
Binding | GroupCharacteristicValue: Value of descriptive member characteristic; e.g. red, male, pneumonia, Caucasian, etc. |
Type | CodeableConcept|boolean|Quantity|Range |
[x] Note | See Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x] |
Requirements | The value of the characteristic is what determines group membership. |
Comments | For Range, it means members of the group have a value that falls somewhere within the specified range. |
Group.characteristic.exclude | |
Definition | If true, indicates the characteristic is one that is NOT held by members of the group. |
Control | 1..1 |
Type | boolean |
Is Modifier | true |
Requirements | Sometimes group membership is determined by characteristics not possessed. |
Comments | This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications cannot wrongly include excluded members as included or vice versa. |
Group.characteristic.period | |
Definition | The period over which the characteristic is tested; e.g. the patient had an operation during the month of June. |
Control | 0..1 |
Type | Period |
Group.member | |
Definition | Identifies the resource instances that are members of the group. |
Control | 0..* |
Requirements | Often the only thing of interest about a group is "who's in it". |
Invariants | Affect this element grp-1: Can only have members if group is "actual" (expression: member.empty() or actual, xpath: f:actual/@value=true() or not(exists(f:member))) |
Group.member.entity | |
Definition | A reference to the entity that is a member of the group. Must be consistent with Group.type. |
Control | 1..1 |
Type | Reference(Patient | Practitioner | Device | Medication | Substance) |
Group.member.period | |
Definition | The period that the member was in the group, if known. |
Control | 0..1 |
Type | Period |
Meaning if Missing | The member is in the group at this time |
Requirements | Need to track who was in a group at a particular time. |
Group.member.inactive | |
Definition | A flag to indicate that the member is no longer in the group, but previously may have been a member. |
Control | 0..1 |
Type | boolean |
Default Value | false |
Requirements | Sometimes you don't know when someone stopped being in a group, but not when. |