Describes an actor - a human or an application that plays a role in data exchange, and that may have obligations associated with the role the actor plays.

An absolute URI that is used to identify this actor definition when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance; also called its canonical identifier. This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which an authoritative instance of this actor definition is (or will be) published. This URL can be the target of a canonical reference. It SHALL remain the same when the actor definition is stored on different servers.

Allows the actor definition to be referenced by a single globally unique identifier.

Can be a urn:uuid: or a urn:oid: but real http: addresses are preferred. Multiple instances may share the same URL if they have a distinct version.

The determination of when to create a new version of a resource (same url, new version) vs. defining a new artifact is up to the author. Considerations for making this decision are found in Technical and Business Versions.

In some cases, the resource can no longer be found at the stated url, but the url itself cannot change. Implementations can use the meta.source element to indicate where the current master source of the resource can be found.

A formal identifier that is used to identify this actor definition when it is represented in other formats, or referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance.

Allows externally provided and/or usable business identifiers to be easily associated with the module.

The identifier that is used to identify this version of the actor definition when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the actor definition author and is not expected to be globally unique. For example, it might be a timestamp (e.g. yyyymmdd) if a managed version is not available. There is also no expectation that versions can be placed in a lexicographical sequence.

There may be different actor definition instances that have the same identifier but different versions. The version can be appended to the url in a reference to allow a reference to a particular business version of the actor definition with the format [url]|[version]. The version SHOULD NOT contain a '#' - see Business Version.

A natural language name identifying the actor definition. This name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation.

Support human navigation and code generation.

The name is not expected to be globally unique. The name should be a simple alphanumeric type name to ensure that it is machine-processing friendly.

A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the actor definition.

This name does not need to be machine-processing friendly and may contain punctuation, white-space, etc.

The status of this actor definition. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content.

Allows filtering of actor definitions that are appropriate for use versus not.

A Boolean value to indicate that this actor definition is authored for testing purposes (or education/evaluation/marketing) and is not intended to be used for genuine usage.

Enables experimental content to be developed following the same lifecycle that would be used for a production-level actor definition.

Allows filtering of actor definitions that are appropriate for use versus not.

The date (and optionally time) when the actor definition was published. The date must change when the business version changes and it must change if the status code changes. In addition, it should change when the substantive content of the actor definition changes.

Note that this is not the same as the resource last-modified-date, since the resource may be a secondary representation of the actor definition. Additional specific dates may be added as extensions or be found by consulting Provenances associated with past versions of the resource.

The name of the organization or individual responsible for the release and ongoing maintenance of the actor definition.

Helps establish the "authority/credibility" of the actor definition. May also allow for contact.

Usually an organization but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the actor definition is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the actor definition. This is not necessarily the same individual or organization that developed and initially authored the content. The publisher is the primary point of contact for questions or issues with the actor definition. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.

Contact details to assist a user in finding and communicating with the publisher.

May be a web site, an email address, a telephone number, etc.

A free text natural language description of the actor.

This description can be used for a general description of the actor, and which covers why it was defined.

The content was developed with a focus and intent of supporting the contexts that are listed. These contexts may be general categories (gender, age, ...) or may be references to specific programs (insurance plans, studies, ...) and may be used to assist with indexing and searching for appropriate actor definition instances.

Assist in searching for appropriate content.

When multiple useContexts are specified, there is no expectation that all or any of the contexts apply.

A legal or geographic region in which the actor definition is intended to be used.

It may be possible for the actor definition to be used in jurisdictions other than those for which it was originally designed or intended.

Explanation of why this actor definition is needed and why it has been designed as it has.

This element does not describe the usage of the actor definition. Instead, it provides traceability of ''why'' the resource is either needed or ''why'' it is defined as it is. This may be used to point to source materials or specifications that drove the structure of this actor definition.

A copyright statement relating to the actor definition and/or its contents. Copyright statements are generally legal restrictions on the use and publishing of the actor definition.

Consumers must be able to determine any legal restrictions on the use of the actor definition.

...

A short string (<50 characters), suitable for inclusion in a page footer that identifies the copyright holder, effective period, and optionally whether rights are resctricted. (e.g. 'All rights reserved', 'Some rights reserved').

Defines the content expected to be rendered in all representations of the artifact.

The (c) symbol should NOT be included in this string. It will be added by software when rendering the notation. Full details about licensing, restrictions, warrantees, etc. goes in the more general 'copyright' element.

Whether the actor represents a human or an appliction.

Documentation about the functionality of the actor.

In general terms, the description desribes what the actor is, and this element describes what the actor does (or is expected to do).

A reference to additional documentation about the actor, but description and documentation.

The capability statement for the actor (if the concept is applicable).

A url that identifies the definition of this actor in another IG (which IG must be listed in the dependencies). This actor inherits all the obligations etc as defined in the other IG.