This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v5.0.0-ballot: R5 Ballot - see ballot notes). 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
FHIR Infrastructure | Maturity Level: 1 | Informative |
Detailed Descriptions for the elements in the Definition pattern.
Definition | |
Definition | A pattern to be followed by resources that represent a specific proposal, plan and/or order for some sort of action or service. |
Short Display | Definition Pattern |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | Logical |
Definition.url | |
Definition | An absolute URL that is used to identify this {{title}} when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance. This SHALL be a URL, SHOULD be globally unique, and SHOULD be an address at which this {{title}} is (or will be) published. The URL SHOULD include the major version of the {{title}}. For more information see Technical and Business Versions. |
Short Display | Logical canonical URL to reference this {{title}} (globally unique) |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | uri |
Requirements | Allows the {{title}} to be referenced by a single globally unique identifier. |
Summary | true |
Comments | Can be a urn:uuid: or a urn:oid:, but real http: addresses are preferred. This is the URI that will be used when making canonical references to this resource. |
Definition.identifier | |
Definition | Business identifiers assigned to this {{title}} by the performer and/or other systems. These identifiers remain constant as the resource is updated and propagates from server to server. |
Short Display | Business Identifier for {{title}} |
Note | This is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion) |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | Identifier |
Requirements | Allows identification of the {{title}} as it is known by various participating systems and in a way that remains consistent across servers. |
Summary | true |
Comments | Note: This is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion). It is best practice for the identifier to only appear on a single resource instance, however business practices may occasionally dictate that multiple resource instances with the same identifier can exist - possibly even with different resource types. For example, multiple Patient and a Person resource instance might share the same social insurance number. |
Definition.version | |
Definition | The identifier that is used to identify this version of the {{title}} when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the {{title}} 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 are orderable. |
Short Display | Business version of the {{title}} |
Note | This is a business versionId, not a resource version id (see discussion) |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | string |
Summary | true |
Comments | There may be multiple different instances of a {{title}} that have the same identifier but different versions. |
Definition.name | |
Definition | A natural language name identifying the {{title}}. This name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation. |
Short Display | Name for this {{title}} (Computer friendly) |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | string |
Requirements | Supports code generation. |
Summary | true |
Comments | 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. |
Definition.title | |
Definition | A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the {{title}}. |
Short Display | Name for this {{title}} (Human friendly) |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | string |
Summary | true |
Definition.derivedFromCanonical | |
Definition | The canonical URL pointing to another FHIR-defined protocol, guideline, orderset or other definition that is adhered to in whole or in part by this definition. |
Short Display | Based on FHIR protocol or definition |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | canonical(Definition[ActivityDefinition, ChargeItemDefinition, EventDefinition, Measure, MessageDefinition, ObservationDefinition, OperationDefinition, PlanDefinition, Questionnaire, SubscriptionTopic, TestScript]) |
Requirements | Protocols and order sets may be refinements of more generic protocols and order sets. |
Summary | true |
Definition.derivedFromUri | |
Definition | The URL pointing to an externally-defined protocol, guideline, orderset or other definition that is adhered to in whole or in part by this definition. |
Short Display | Based on external protocol or definition |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | uri |
Requirements | Protocols and order sets may be refinements of more generic protocols and order sets. |
Summary | true |
Comments | This might be an HTML page, PDF, etc. or could just be a non-resolvable URI identifier. |
Definition.partOf | |
Definition | A larger definition of which this particular definition is a component or step. |
Short Display | Part of referenced definition |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | canonical(Definition[ActivityDefinition, ChargeItemDefinition, EventDefinition, Measure, MessageDefinition, ObservationDefinition, OperationDefinition, PlanDefinition, Questionnaire, SubscriptionTopic, TestScript]) |
Requirements | E.g. Drug administration as part of a procedure, procedure as part of observation, etc. |
Alternate Names | container |
Summary | true |
Comments | [The allowed reference resources may be adjusted as appropriate for the event resource]. |
Definition.status | |
Definition | The current state of the {{title}}. |
Short Display | draft | active | retired | unknown |
Cardinality | 1..1 |
Terminology Binding | PublicationStatus (Required) |
Type | code |
Is Modifier | true (Reason: This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications should not use a retired {{title}} without due consideration) |
Summary | true |
Comments | A nominal state-transition diagram can be found in the [[definition.html#statemachine | Definition pattern]] documentation Unknown does not represent "other" - one of the defined statuses must apply. Unknown is used when the authoring system is not sure what the current status is. |
To Do | Should this be a common code system for all definitions? |
Definition.experimental | |
Definition | A flag to indicate that this {{title}} is authored for testing purposes (or education/evaluation/marketing), and is not intended to be used for genuine usage. |
Short Display | If for testing purposes, not real usage |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | boolean |
Is Modifier | true (Reason: This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications should not use an experimental {{title}} in production.) |
Requirements | Enables experimental content to be developed following the same life-cycle as a production-level {{title}} would. |
Summary | true |
Comments | Allows filtering of {{title}} that are appropriate for use vs. not. |
Definition.subject[x] | |
Definition | A code or group definition that describes the intended subject of instantiations of this definition. |
Short Display | Type of individual the defined service is for |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Terminology Binding | DefinitionSubject: |
Type | CodeableConcept|Reference(Group) |
[x] Note | See Choice of Datatypes for further information about how to use [x] |
Requirements | Many protocols, order sets and guidelines are inted for use only with specific types of patients or subjects. |
Alternate Names | Subject type |
Summary | true |
Definition.date | |
Definition | For draft definitions, indicates the date of initial creation. For active definitions, represents the date of activation. For withdrawn definitions, indicates the date of withdrawal. |
Short Display | Date status first applied |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | dateTime |
Alternate Names | created |
Summary | true |
Definition.publisher | |
Definition | Helps establish the "authority/credibility" of the {{title}}. May also allow for contact. |
Short Display | The name of the individual or organization that published the {{title}} |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | Reference(Practitioner | PractitionerRole | Organization) |
Requirements | Usually an organization, but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the {{title}} is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the {{title}}. 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 {{title}}. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context. |
Alternate Names | author |
Summary | true |
Definition.contact | |
Definition | Contact details to assist a user in finding and communicating with the publisher. |
Short Display | Contact details for the publisher |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | ContactDetail |
Summary | true |
Comments | May be a web site, an email address, a telephone number, etc. |
Definition.description | |
Definition | A free text natural language description of the {{title}} from the consumer's perspective. |
Short Display | Natural language description of the {{title}} |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | markdown |
Comments | This description can be used to capture details such as comments about misuse, instructions for clinical use and interpretation, literature references, examples from the paper world, etc. It is not a rendering of the module as conveyed in the text field of the resource itself. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context. |
Definition.useContext | |
Definition | The content was developed with a focus and intent of supporting the contexts that are listed. These terms may be used to assist with indexing and searching of code system definitions. |
Short Display | Content intends to support these contexts |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | UsageContext |
Requirements | Assist in searching for appropriate content. |
Summary | true |
Comments | When multiple usageContexts are specified, there is no expectation for whether all or any of the contexts apply. |
Definition.jurisdiction | |
Definition | A jurisdiction in which the {{title}} is intended to be used. |
Short Display | Intended jurisdiction for {{title}} (if applicable) |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Terminology Binding | Jurisdiction (Extensible) |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Summary | true |
Definition.category | |
Definition | Partitions the {{title}} into one or more categories that can be used to filter searching, to govern access control and/or to guide system behavior. |
Short Display | Partitions the {{title}} into one or more categories that can be used to filter searching, to govern access control and/or to guide system behavior. |
Cardinality | 0..* |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Requirements | Categorization might be done automatically (inferred by code) or manually by user assertion. The absence of a category may limit the ability to determine when the element should be handled, so strong consideration should be given to how systems will be able to determine category values for legacy data and how data that cannot be categorized will be handled. As well, some categories might not be mutually exclusive, so systems should prepare for multiple declared categories - even within a single category 'axis'. In general, there should not be a 'strong' binding ('required' or 'extensible') on the category element overall. Instead, the element can be sliced and bindings can be asserted that apply to particular repetitions. The usageContext and jurisdiction elements can be seen as 'types' of categorization. The category element should only be used when the type of categorization is not one that would easily be expressed through jurisdiction or usage. |
Summary | true |
Definition.purpose | |
Definition | Explains why this {{title}} is needed and why it has been designed as it has. |
Short Display | Why this {{title}} is defined |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | markdown |
Comments | This element does not describe the usage of the {{title}}. Rather it is for 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 {{title}}. |
Definition.copyright | |
Definition | A copyright statement relating to the {{title}} and/or its contents. Copyright statements are generally legal restrictions on the use and publishing of the {{title}}. |
Short Display | Use and/or publishing restrictions |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | markdown |
Requirements | Consumers of the {{title}} must be able to determine any legal restrictions on the use of the artifact and/or its content. |
Alternate Names | License; Restrictions |
Definition.approvalDate | |
Definition | The date on which the asset content was approved by the publisher. Approval happens once when the content is officially approved for usage. |
Short Display | When {{title}} approved by publisher |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | date |
Comments | The date may be more recent than the approval date because of minor changes / editorial corrections. |
Definition.lastReviewDate | |
Definition | The date on which the asset content was last reviewed. Review happens periodically after that, but doesn't change the original approval date. |
Short Display | Last review date for the {{title}} |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | date |
Comments | If specified, this is usually after the approval date. |
Definition.effectivePeriod | |
Definition | The period during which the {{title}} content was or is planned to be effective. |
Short Display | The effective date range for the {{title}} |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | Period |
Summary | true |
Comments | The effective period for a {{title}} determines when the content is applicable for usage and is independent of publication and review dates. For example, a measure intended to be used for the year 2016 would be published in 2015. |
Definition.performerType | |
Definition | The type of individual that is expected to act upon instances of this definition. |
Short Display | Desired kind of service performer |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Terminology Binding | PerformerType: |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Summary | true |
To Do | Need to define who.performer. |
Definition.code | |
Definition | A code that identifies the specific service or action that was or is being performed. |
Short Display | Service to be done |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Alternate Names | type |
Summary | true |
Definition.product | |
Definition | Indicates the product supplied or manipulated by this {{title}}. |
Short Display | Product to use/manipulate |
Cardinality | 0..1 |
Type | CodeableReference(BiologicallyDerivedProduct | DeviceDefinition | Medication | NutritionProduct | Substance) |
Summary | true |