This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v1.4.0: STU 3 Ballot 3). 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
Patient Care Work Group | Maturity Level: 0 | Compartments: Patient, Practitioner |
A record of a clinical assessment performed to determine what problem(s) may affect the patient and before planning the treatments or management strategies that are best to manage a patient's condition. Assessments are often 1:1 with a clinical consultation / encounter, but this varies greatly depending on the clinical workflow. This resource is called "ClinicalImpression" rather than "ClinicalAssessment" to avoid confusion with the recording of assessment tools such as Apgar score.
Performing a clinical assessment is a fundamental part of a clinician's workflow, performed repeatedly throughout the day. In spite of this - or perhaps, because of it - there is wide variance in how clinical impressions are recorded. Some clinical assessments simply result in an impression recorded as a single text note in the patient 'record' (e.g. "Progress satisfactory, continue with treatment"), while others are associated with careful, detailed record keeping of the evidence gathered, the reasoning leading to a differential diagnosis, and the actions taken during or planned as a result of the clinical assessment, and there is a continuum between these. This resource is intended to be used to cover all these use cases.
The assessment is intimately linked to the process of care. It may occur in the context of a care plan, and it very often results in a new (or revised) care plan. Normally. clinical assessments are part of an ongoing process of care, and the patient will be re-assessed repeatedly. For this reason, the clinical impression can explicit reference both care plans (preceeding and resulting) and reference a previous impression that this impression follows on from.
DSTU Note: Unlike many other resources, there is little prior art with regard to exchanging records of clinical assessments. For this reason, this resource should be regarded as particularly prone to ongoing revision. In terms of scope and usage, the Patient Care workgroup wishes to draw the attention of reviewers and implementers to the following issues:
- When is an existing clinical impression revised, rather than a new one created (that references the existing one)? How does that affect the status? what's the interplay between the status of the diagnosis and the status of the impression? (e.g. for a 'provisional' impression, which bit is provisional?)
- This structure doesn't differentiate between a working and a final diagnosis. Given an answer to the previous question, should it?
- Further clarify around the relationship between care plan and impression is needed. Both answers to the previous questions and ongoing discussions around revisions to the care plan will influence the design of clinical impression
- Should prognosis be represented, and if so, how much structure should it have?
- Should an impression reference other impressions that are related? (how related?)
- Investigations - the specification needs a good value set for the code for the group, and will be considering the name "investigations" further
Feedback is welcome here .
There is another related clinical concept often called an "assessment": assessment Tools such as Apgar (also known as "Assessment Scales"). This is not what the ClinicalImpression resource is about; assessment tools such as Apgar are represented as Observations, and Questionnaires may be used to help generate these. Clinical Impressions may refer to these assessment tools as one of the investigations that was performed during the assessment process.
An important background to understanding this resource is the FHIR wiki page for clinical assessment . In particular, the storyboards there drove the design of the resource, and will be the basis for all examples created.
This resource is referenced by condition
Structure
Name | Flags | Card. | Type | Description & Constraints |
---|---|---|---|---|
ClinicalImpression | DomainResource | A clinical assessment performed when planning treatments and management strategies for a patient | ||
patient | Σ | 1..1 | Reference(Patient) | The patient being assessed |
assessor | Σ | 0..1 | Reference(Practitioner) | The clinician performing the assessment |
status | ?! Σ | 1..1 | code | in-progress | completed | entered-in-error ClinicalImpressionStatus (Required) |
date | Σ | 0..1 | dateTime | When the assessment occurred |
description | Σ | 0..1 | string | Why/how the assessment was performed |
previous | 0..1 | Reference(ClinicalImpression) | Reference to last assessment | |
problem | Σ | 0..* | Reference(Condition | AllergyIntolerance) | General assessment of patient state |
trigger[x] | 0..1 | Request or event that necessitated this assessment SNOMED CT Clinical Findings (Example) | ||
triggerCodeableConcept | CodeableConcept | |||
triggerReference | Reference(Any) | |||
investigations | 0..* | BackboneElement | One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) | |
code | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | A name/code for the set Investigation Type (Example) | |
item | 0..* | Reference(Observation | QuestionnaireResponse | FamilyMemberHistory | DiagnosticReport) | Record of a specific investigation | |
protocol | 0..1 | uri | Clinical Protocol followed | |
summary | 0..1 | string | Summary of the assessment | |
finding | 0..* | BackboneElement | Possible or likely findings and diagnoses | |
item | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | Specific text or code for finding Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
cause | 0..1 | string | Which investigations support finding | |
resolved | 0..* | CodeableConcept | Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
ruledOut | 0..* | BackboneElement | Diagnosis considered not possible | |
item | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | Specific text of code for diagnosis Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
reason | 0..1 | string | Grounds for elimination | |
prognosis | 0..1 | string | Estimate of likely outcome | |
plan | 0..* | Reference(CarePlan | Appointment | CommunicationRequest | DeviceUseRequest | DiagnosticOrder | MedicationOrder | NutritionOrder | Order | ProcedureRequest | ProcessRequest | ReferralRequest | SupplyRequest | VisionPrescription) | Plan of action after assessment | |
action | 0..* | Reference(ReferralRequest | ProcedureRequest | Procedure | MedicationOrder | DiagnosticOrder | NutritionOrder | SupplyRequest | Appointment) | Actions taken during assessment | |
Documentation for this format |
UML Diagram
XML Template
<ClinicalImpression xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> <!-- from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language --> <!-- from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension --> <patient><!-- 1..1 Reference(Patient) The patient being assessed --></patient> <assessor><!-- 0..1 Reference(Practitioner) The clinician performing the assessment --></assessor> <status value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 in-progress | completed | entered-in-error --> <date value="[dateTime]"/><!-- 0..1 When the assessment occurred --> <description value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Why/how the assessment was performed --> <previous><!-- 0..1 Reference(ClinicalImpression) Reference to last assessment --></previous> <problem><!-- 0..* Reference(Condition|AllergyIntolerance) General assessment of patient state --></problem> <trigger[x]><!-- 0..1 CodeableConcept|Reference(Any) Request or event that necessitated this assessment --></trigger[x]> <investigations> <!-- 0..* One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) --> <code><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept A name/code for the set --></code> <item><!-- 0..* Reference(Observation|QuestionnaireResponse|FamilyMemberHistory| DiagnosticReport) Record of a specific investigation --></item> </investigations> <protocol value="[uri]"/><!-- 0..1 Clinical Protocol followed --> <summary value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Summary of the assessment --> <finding> <!-- 0..* Possible or likely findings and diagnoses --> <item><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Specific text or code for finding --></item> <cause value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Which investigations support finding --> </finding> <resolved><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment --></resolved> <ruledOut> <!-- 0..* Diagnosis considered not possible --> <item><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Specific text of code for diagnosis --></item> <reason value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Grounds for elimination --> </ruledOut> <prognosis value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Estimate of likely outcome --> <plan><!-- 0..* Reference(CarePlan|Appointment|CommunicationRequest| DeviceUseRequest|DiagnosticOrder|MedicationOrder|NutritionOrder|Order| ProcedureRequest|ProcessRequest|ReferralRequest|SupplyRequest| VisionPrescription) Plan of action after assessment --></plan> <action><!-- 0..* Reference(ReferralRequest|ProcedureRequest|Procedure| MedicationOrder|DiagnosticOrder|NutritionOrder|SupplyRequest|Appointment) Actions taken during assessment --></action> </ClinicalImpression>
JSON Template
{ "resourceType" : "ClinicalImpression", // from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language // from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension "patient" : { Reference(Patient) }, // R! The patient being assessed "assessor" : { Reference(Practitioner) }, // The clinician performing the assessment "status" : "<code>", // R! in-progress | completed | entered-in-error "date" : "<dateTime>", // When the assessment occurred "description" : "<string>", // Why/how the assessment was performed "previous" : { Reference(ClinicalImpression) }, // Reference to last assessment "problem" : [{ Reference(Condition|AllergyIntolerance) }], // General assessment of patient state // trigger[x]: Request or event that necessitated this assessment. One of these 2: "triggerCodeableConcept" : { CodeableConcept }, "triggerReference" : { Reference(Any) }, "investigations" : [{ // One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) "code" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! A name/code for the set "item" : [{ Reference(Observation|QuestionnaireResponse|FamilyMemberHistory| DiagnosticReport) }] // Record of a specific investigation }], "protocol" : "<uri>", // Clinical Protocol followed "summary" : "<string>", // Summary of the assessment "finding" : [{ // Possible or likely findings and diagnoses "item" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Specific text or code for finding "cause" : "<string>" // Which investigations support finding }], "resolved" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment "ruledOut" : [{ // Diagnosis considered not possible "item" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Specific text of code for diagnosis "reason" : "<string>" // Grounds for elimination }], "prognosis" : "<string>", // Estimate of likely outcome "plan" : [{ Reference(CarePlan|Appointment|CommunicationRequest| DeviceUseRequest|DiagnosticOrder|MedicationOrder|NutritionOrder|Order| ProcedureRequest|ProcessRequest|ReferralRequest|SupplyRequest| VisionPrescription) }], // Plan of action after assessment "action" : [{ Reference(ReferralRequest|ProcedureRequest|Procedure| MedicationOrder|DiagnosticOrder|NutritionOrder|SupplyRequest|Appointment) }] // Actions taken during assessment }
Structure
Name | Flags | Card. | Type | Description & Constraints |
---|---|---|---|---|
ClinicalImpression | DomainResource | A clinical assessment performed when planning treatments and management strategies for a patient | ||
patient | Σ | 1..1 | Reference(Patient) | The patient being assessed |
assessor | Σ | 0..1 | Reference(Practitioner) | The clinician performing the assessment |
status | ?! Σ | 1..1 | code | in-progress | completed | entered-in-error ClinicalImpressionStatus (Required) |
date | Σ | 0..1 | dateTime | When the assessment occurred |
description | Σ | 0..1 | string | Why/how the assessment was performed |
previous | 0..1 | Reference(ClinicalImpression) | Reference to last assessment | |
problem | Σ | 0..* | Reference(Condition | AllergyIntolerance) | General assessment of patient state |
trigger[x] | 0..1 | Request or event that necessitated this assessment SNOMED CT Clinical Findings (Example) | ||
triggerCodeableConcept | CodeableConcept | |||
triggerReference | Reference(Any) | |||
investigations | 0..* | BackboneElement | One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) | |
code | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | A name/code for the set Investigation Type (Example) | |
item | 0..* | Reference(Observation | QuestionnaireResponse | FamilyMemberHistory | DiagnosticReport) | Record of a specific investigation | |
protocol | 0..1 | uri | Clinical Protocol followed | |
summary | 0..1 | string | Summary of the assessment | |
finding | 0..* | BackboneElement | Possible or likely findings and diagnoses | |
item | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | Specific text or code for finding Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
cause | 0..1 | string | Which investigations support finding | |
resolved | 0..* | CodeableConcept | Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
ruledOut | 0..* | BackboneElement | Diagnosis considered not possible | |
item | 1..1 | CodeableConcept | Specific text of code for diagnosis Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes (Example) | |
reason | 0..1 | string | Grounds for elimination | |
prognosis | 0..1 | string | Estimate of likely outcome | |
plan | 0..* | Reference(CarePlan | Appointment | CommunicationRequest | DeviceUseRequest | DiagnosticOrder | MedicationOrder | NutritionOrder | Order | ProcedureRequest | ProcessRequest | ReferralRequest | SupplyRequest | VisionPrescription) | Plan of action after assessment | |
action | 0..* | Reference(ReferralRequest | ProcedureRequest | Procedure | MedicationOrder | DiagnosticOrder | NutritionOrder | SupplyRequest | Appointment) | Actions taken during assessment | |
Documentation for this format |
XML Template
<ClinicalImpression xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> <!-- from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language --> <!-- from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension --> <patient><!-- 1..1 Reference(Patient) The patient being assessed --></patient> <assessor><!-- 0..1 Reference(Practitioner) The clinician performing the assessment --></assessor> <status value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 in-progress | completed | entered-in-error --> <date value="[dateTime]"/><!-- 0..1 When the assessment occurred --> <description value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Why/how the assessment was performed --> <previous><!-- 0..1 Reference(ClinicalImpression) Reference to last assessment --></previous> <problem><!-- 0..* Reference(Condition|AllergyIntolerance) General assessment of patient state --></problem> <trigger[x]><!-- 0..1 CodeableConcept|Reference(Any) Request or event that necessitated this assessment --></trigger[x]> <investigations> <!-- 0..* One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) --> <code><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept A name/code for the set --></code> <item><!-- 0..* Reference(Observation|QuestionnaireResponse|FamilyMemberHistory| DiagnosticReport) Record of a specific investigation --></item> </investigations> <protocol value="[uri]"/><!-- 0..1 Clinical Protocol followed --> <summary value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Summary of the assessment --> <finding> <!-- 0..* Possible or likely findings and diagnoses --> <item><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Specific text or code for finding --></item> <cause value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Which investigations support finding --> </finding> <resolved><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment --></resolved> <ruledOut> <!-- 0..* Diagnosis considered not possible --> <item><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Specific text of code for diagnosis --></item> <reason value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Grounds for elimination --> </ruledOut> <prognosis value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Estimate of likely outcome --> <plan><!-- 0..* Reference(CarePlan|Appointment|CommunicationRequest| DeviceUseRequest|DiagnosticOrder|MedicationOrder|NutritionOrder|Order| ProcedureRequest|ProcessRequest|ReferralRequest|SupplyRequest| VisionPrescription) Plan of action after assessment --></plan> <action><!-- 0..* Reference(ReferralRequest|ProcedureRequest|Procedure| MedicationOrder|DiagnosticOrder|NutritionOrder|SupplyRequest|Appointment) Actions taken during assessment --></action> </ClinicalImpression>
JSON Template
{ "resourceType" : "ClinicalImpression", // from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language // from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension "patient" : { Reference(Patient) }, // R! The patient being assessed "assessor" : { Reference(Practitioner) }, // The clinician performing the assessment "status" : "<code>", // R! in-progress | completed | entered-in-error "date" : "<dateTime>", // When the assessment occurred "description" : "<string>", // Why/how the assessment was performed "previous" : { Reference(ClinicalImpression) }, // Reference to last assessment "problem" : [{ Reference(Condition|AllergyIntolerance) }], // General assessment of patient state // trigger[x]: Request or event that necessitated this assessment. One of these 2: "triggerCodeableConcept" : { CodeableConcept }, "triggerReference" : { Reference(Any) }, "investigations" : [{ // One or more sets of investigations (signs, symptions, etc.) "code" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! A name/code for the set "item" : [{ Reference(Observation|QuestionnaireResponse|FamilyMemberHistory| DiagnosticReport) }] // Record of a specific investigation }], "protocol" : "<uri>", // Clinical Protocol followed "summary" : "<string>", // Summary of the assessment "finding" : [{ // Possible or likely findings and diagnoses "item" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Specific text or code for finding "cause" : "<string>" // Which investigations support finding }], "resolved" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment "ruledOut" : [{ // Diagnosis considered not possible "item" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Specific text of code for diagnosis "reason" : "<string>" // Grounds for elimination }], "prognosis" : "<string>", // Estimate of likely outcome "plan" : [{ Reference(CarePlan|Appointment|CommunicationRequest| DeviceUseRequest|DiagnosticOrder|MedicationOrder|NutritionOrder|Order| ProcedureRequest|ProcessRequest|ReferralRequest|SupplyRequest| VisionPrescription) }], // Plan of action after assessment "action" : [{ Reference(ReferralRequest|ProcedureRequest|Procedure| MedicationOrder|DiagnosticOrder|NutritionOrder|SupplyRequest|Appointment) }] // Actions taken during assessment }
Alternate definitions: Schema/Schematron, Resource Profile (XML, JSON), Questionnaire
Path | Definition | Type | Reference |
---|---|---|---|
ClinicalImpression.status | The workflow state of a clinical impression. | Required | ClinicalImpressionStatus |
ClinicalImpression.trigger[x] | Clinical Findings that may cause an clinical evaluation. | Example | SNOMED CT Clinical Findings |
ClinicalImpression.investigations.code | A name/code for a set of investigations. | Example | Investigation Type |
ClinicalImpression.finding.item ClinicalImpression.resolved ClinicalImpression.ruledOut.item | Identification of the Condition or diagnosis. | Example | Condition/Problem/Diagnosis Codes |
Search parameters for this resource. The common parameters also apply. See Searching for more information about searching in REST, messaging, and services.
Name | Type | Description | Paths |
action | reference | Actions taken during assessment | ClinicalImpression.action (ReferralRequest, Appointment, ProcedureRequest, SupplyRequest, Procedure, MedicationOrder, NutritionOrder, DiagnosticOrder) |
assessor | reference | The clinician performing the assessment | ClinicalImpression.assessor (Practitioner) |
date | date | When the assessment occurred | ClinicalImpression.date |
finding | token | Specific text or code for finding | ClinicalImpression.finding.item |
investigation | reference | Record of a specific investigation | ClinicalImpression.investigations.item (FamilyMemberHistory, Observation, QuestionnaireResponse, DiagnosticReport) |
patient | reference | The patient being assessed | ClinicalImpression.patient (Patient) |
plan | reference | Plan of action after assessment | ClinicalImpression.plan (CarePlan, ReferralRequest, ProcedureRequest, Appointment, CommunicationRequest, Order, SupplyRequest, VisionPrescription, MedicationOrder, ProcessRequest, DeviceUseRequest, NutritionOrder, DiagnosticOrder) |
previous | reference | Reference to last assessment | ClinicalImpression.previous (ClinicalImpression) |
problem | reference | General assessment of patient state | ClinicalImpression.problem (Condition, AllergyIntolerance) |
resolved | token | Diagnoses/conditions resolved since previous assessment | ClinicalImpression.resolved |
ruledout | token | Specific text of code for diagnosis | ClinicalImpression.ruledOut.item |
status | token | in-progress | completed | entered-in-error | ClinicalImpression.status |
trigger | reference | Request or event that necessitated this assessment | ClinicalImpression.triggerReference (Any) |
trigger-code | token | Request or event that necessitated this assessment | ClinicalImpression.triggerCodeableConcept |