Release 5 Ballot

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 R2

Example StructureDefinition/Element (JSON)

Modeling and Methodology Work GroupMaturity Level: N/AStandards Status: Informative

Raw JSON (canonical form + also see JSON Format Specification)

StructureDefinition for Element

{
  "resourceType" : "StructureDefinition",
  "id" : "Element",
  "text" : {
    "status" : "generated",
    "div" : "<div xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml\"><table border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; font-size: 11px; font-family: verdana; vertical-align: top;\"><tr style=\"border: 1px #F0F0F0 solid; font-size: 11px; font-family: verdana; vertical-align: top\"><th style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"The logical name of the element\">Name</a></th><th style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Information about the use of the element\">Flags</a></th><th style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Minimum and Maximum # of times the the element can appear in the instance\">Card.</a></th><th style=\"width: 100px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Reference to the type of the element\">Type</a></th><th style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Additional information about the element\">Description &amp; Constraints</a><span style=\"float: right\"><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Legend for this format\"><img src=\"help16.png\" alt=\"doco\" style=\"background-color: inherit\"/></a></span></th></tr><tr style=\"border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px; vertical-align: top; background-color: white\"><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px; white-space: nowrap; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAyAAAAACCAYAAACg/LjIAAAAI0lEQVR42u3QIQEAAAACIL/6/4MvTAQOkLYBAAB4kAAAANwMad9AqkRjgNAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)\" class=\"hierarchy\"><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAAWCAYAAAABxvaqAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH3wYeFzIs1vtcMQAAAB1pVFh0Q29tbWVudAAAAAAAQ3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIEdJTVBkLmUHAAAAE0lEQVQI12P4//8/AxMDAwNdCABMPwMo2ctnoQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: inherit\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhEAAQAPQfAOvGUf7ztuvPMf/78/fkl/Pbg+u8Rvjqteu2Pf3zxPz36Pz0z+vTmPzurPvuw/npofbjquvNefHVduuyN+uuMu3Oafbgjfnqvf/3zv/3xevPi+vRjP/20/bmsP///wD/ACH5BAEKAB8ALAAAAAAQABAAAAVl4CeOZGme5qCqqDg8jyVJaz1876DsmAQAgqDgltspMEhMJoMZ4iy6I1AooFCIv+wKybziALVAoAEjYLwDgGIpJhMslgxaLR4/3rMAWoBp32V5exg8Shl1ckRUQVaMVkQ2kCstKCEAOw==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: white; background-color: inherit\" title=\"Element\" class=\"hierarchy\"/> <a href=\"types-definitions.html#Element\" title=\"Element : Base definition for all elements in a resource.\">Element</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a style=\"padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; color: black; null\" href=\"uml.html#abstract\" title=\"This is an abstract type\">«A»</a><a style=\"padding-left: 3px; padding-right: 3px; border: 1px grey solid; font-weight: bold; color: black; background-color: #e6ffe6\" href=\"versions.html#std-process\" title=\"Standards Status = Normative\">N</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"types.html#Base\">Base</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\">Base for all elements<br/><span style=\"font-style: italic\" title=\"ele-1\">+ Rule: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children</span><br/><br/>Elements defined in Ancestors: </td></tr>\r\n<tr style=\"border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px; vertical-align: top; background-color: #F7F7F7\"><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: #F7F7F7; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px; white-space: nowrap; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAyAAAAACCAYAAACg/LjIAAAAL0lEQVR42u3XsQ0AQAgCQHdl/xn8jxvYWB3JlTR0VJLa+OltBwAAYP6EEQAAgCsPVYVAgIJrA/sAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)\" class=\"hierarchy\"><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAAWCAYAAAABxvaqAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH3wYeFzIs1vtcMQAAAB1pVFh0Q29tbWVudAAAAAAAQ3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIEdJTVBkLmUHAAAAE0lEQVQI12P4//8/AxMDAwNdCABMPwMo2ctnoQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: inherit\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAWCAYAAADJqhx8AAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH3wYeFzI3XJ6V3QAAAB1pVFh0Q29tbWVudAAAAAAAQ3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIEdJTVBkLmUHAAAANklEQVQ4y+2RsQ0AIAzDav7/2VzQwoCY4iWbZSmo1QGoUgNMghvWaIejPQW/CrrNCylIwcOCDYfLNRcNer4SAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: inherit\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAQCAYAAAAf8/9hAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAARklEQVQ4y2P8//8/AyWAhYFCMAgMuHjx4n+KXaCv+I0szW8WpCG8kFO1lGFKW/SIjAUYgxz/MzAwMDC+nqhDUTQyjuYFBgCNmhP4OvTRgwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: #F7F7F7; background-color: inherit\" title=\"Primitive Data Type\" class=\"hierarchy\"/> <a href=\"types-definitions.html#Element.id\" title=\"Element.id : Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.\">id</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: #F7F7F7; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: #F7F7F7; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\">0..1</td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: #F7F7F7; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"datatypes.html#string\">string</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: #F7F7F7; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\">Unique id for inter-element referencing<br/></td></tr>\r\n<tr style=\"border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px; vertical-align: top; background-color: white\"><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px; white-space: nowrap; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAyAAAAACCAYAAACg/LjIAAAAI0lEQVR42u3QIQEAAAACIL/6/4MvTAQOkLYBAAB4kAAAANwMad9AqkRjgNAAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)\" class=\"hierarchy\"><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAAWCAYAAAABxvaqAAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH3wYeFzIs1vtcMQAAAB1pVFh0Q29tbWVudAAAAAAAQ3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIEdJTVBkLmUHAAAAE0lEQVQI12P4//8/AxMDAwNdCABMPwMo2ctnoQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: inherit\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAWCAYAAADJqhx8AAAACXBIWXMAAAsTAAALEwEAmpwYAAAAB3RJTUUH3wYeFzME+lXFigAAAB1pVFh0Q29tbWVudAAAAAAAQ3JlYXRlZCB3aXRoIEdJTVBkLmUHAAAANklEQVQ4y+3OsRUAIAjEUOL+O8cJABttJM11/x1qZAGqRBEVcNIqdWj1efDqQbb3HwwwwEfABmQUHSPM9dtDAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: inherit\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><img src=\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAQCAYAAAAf8/9hAAAABGdBTUEAAK/INwWK6QAAABl0RVh0U29mdHdhcmUAQWRvYmUgSW1hZ2VSZWFkeXHJZTwAAADdSURBVDjLY/j//z8DJZhhmBvw41KQ07dzbk5kG/Dtgu/Jb2fsT5JkwI+bqZw/rsfYA21v+XE97f+PS5H/vx5Ra/98QN7+824ZTiIMSJr580bW/x+3iv//etD9/+fdpv/fzwX+/3LY6P/n7TIzCRtwPYYZaPvGH7dKgAb0AA1o/v/tQsh/oO0bP26TZiYqDIB+1/1+wef/z3vN/3/erPr/5aAOyHZdogMRGPIe38/7gvz+Gej3z18OG/8H2u5BvAFn7GO/Htdv/3pAQejzXjkhoO3tH7dIxY7EpEwMBgAr6O5Q8udliwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\".\" style=\"background-color: white; background-color: inherit\" title=\"Extension\" class=\"hierarchy\"/> <a href=\"types-definitions.html#Element.extension\" title=\"Element.extension : May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance  applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.\">extension</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"/><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\">0..*</td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\"><a href=\"extensibility.html#Extension\">Extension</a></td><td style=\"vertical-align: top; text-align : left; background-color: white; border: 0px #F0F0F0 solid; padding:0px 4px 0px 4px\" class=\"hierarchy\">Additional content defined by implementations<br/><br/></td></tr>\r\n<tr><td colspan=\"5\" class=\"hierarchy\"><br/><a href=\"formats.html#table\" title=\"Legend for this format\"><img src=\"help16.png\" alt=\"doco\" style=\"background-color: inherit\"/> Documentation for this format</a></td></tr></table></div>"
  },
  "extension" : [{
    "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-standards-status",
    "valueCode" : "normative"
  },
  {
    "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-normative-version",
    "valueCode" : "4.0.0"
  }],
  "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Element",
  "version" : "5.0.0-ballot",
  "name" : "Element",
  "status" : "active",
  "experimental" : false,
  "date" : "2022-09-10T04:52:37+10:00",
  "publisher" : "HL7 FHIR Standard",
  "contact" : [{
    "telecom" : [{
      "system" : "url",
      "value" : "http://hl7.org/fhir"
    }]
  }],
  "description" : "Element Type: Base definition for all elements in a resource.",
  "fhirVersion" : "5.0.0-ballot",
  "mapping" : [{
    "identity" : "rim",
    "uri" : "http://hl7.org/v3",
    "name" : "RIM Mapping"
  }],
  "kind" : "complex-type",
  "abstract" : true,
  "type" : "Element",
  "baseDefinition" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Base",
  "derivation" : "specialization",
  "snapshot" : {
    "element" : [{
      "id" : "Element",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-standards-status",
        "valueCode" : "normative"
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-normative-version",
        "valueCode" : "4.0.0"
      }],
      "path" : "Element",
      "short" : "Base for all elements",
      "definition" : "Base definition for all elements in a resource.",
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "*",
      "base" : {
        "path" : "Element",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "*"
      },
      "condition" : ["ele-1"],
      "constraint" : [{
        "key" : "ele-1",
        "severity" : "error",
        "human" : "All FHIR elements must have a @value or children",
        "expression" : "hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count())",
        "xpath" : "@value|f:*|h:div",
        "source" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Element"
      }],
      "isModifier" : false,
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Element.id",
      "path" : "Element.id",
      "representation" : ["xmlAttr"],
      "short" : "Unique id for inter-element referencing",
      "definition" : "Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.",
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "1",
      "base" : {
        "path" : "Element.id",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "1"
      },
      "type" : [{
        "extension" : [{
          "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-fhir-type",
          "valueUrl" : "id"
        }],
        "code" : "http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String"
      }],
      "isModifier" : false,
      "isSummary" : false,
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Element.extension",
      "path" : "Element.extension",
      "slicing" : {
        "discriminator" : [{
          "type" : "value",
          "path" : "url"
        }],
        "description" : "Extensions are always sliced by (at least) url",
        "rules" : "open"
      },
      "short" : "Additional content defined by implementations",
      "definition" : "May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance  applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.",
      "comment" : "There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions.  The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.",
      "alias" : ["extensions",
      "user content"],
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "*",
      "base" : {
        "path" : "Element.extension",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "*"
      },
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Extension"
      }],
      "constraint" : [{
        "key" : "ele-1",
        "severity" : "error",
        "human" : "All FHIR elements must have a @value or children",
        "expression" : "hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count())",
        "xpath" : "@value|f:*|h:div",
        "source" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Element"
      },
      {
        "key" : "ext-1",
        "severity" : "error",
        "human" : "Must have either extensions or value[x], not both",
        "expression" : "extension.exists() != value.exists()",
        "xpath" : "exists(f:extension)!=exists(f:*[starts-with(local-name(.), \"value\")])",
        "source" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Extension"
      }],
      "isModifier" : false,
      "isSummary" : false,
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    }]
  },
  "differential" : {
    "element" : [{
      "id" : "Element",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-standards-status",
        "valueCode" : "normative"
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-normative-version",
        "valueCode" : "4.0.0"
      }],
      "path" : "Element",
      "short" : "Base for all elements",
      "definition" : "Base definition for all elements in a resource.",
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "*",
      "condition" : ["ele-1"],
      "constraint" : [{
        "key" : "ele-1",
        "severity" : "error",
        "human" : "All FHIR elements must have a @value or children",
        "expression" : "hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count())",
        "xpath" : "@value|f:*|h:div",
        "source" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Element"
      }],
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Element.id",
      "path" : "Element.id",
      "representation" : ["xmlAttr"],
      "short" : "Unique id for inter-element referencing",
      "definition" : "Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.",
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "1",
      "type" : [{
        "extension" : [{
          "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/structuredefinition-fhir-type",
          "valueUrl" : "id"
        }],
        "code" : "http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String"
      }],
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Element.extension",
      "path" : "Element.extension",
      "slicing" : {
        "discriminator" : [{
          "type" : "value",
          "path" : "url"
        }],
        "description" : "Extensions are always sliced by (at least) url",
        "rules" : "open"
      },
      "short" : "Additional content defined by implementations",
      "definition" : "May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance  applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.",
      "comment" : "There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions.  The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.",
      "alias" : ["extensions",
      "user content"],
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "*",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Extension"
      }],
      "mapping" : [{
        "identity" : "rim",
        "map" : "n/a"
      }]
    }]
  }
}

Usage note: every effort has been made to ensure that the examples are correct and useful, but they are not a normative part of the specification.