FHIR Release 3 (STU)

This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v3.0.2: STU 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

Vocabulary Work GroupMaturity Level: 5 Trial UseCompartments: Not linked to any defined compartments

Detailed Descriptions for the elements in the CodeSystem resource.

CodeSystem
Definition

A code system resource specifies a set of codes drawn from one or more code systems.

Control1..1
InvariantsDefined on this element
csd-1: Within a code system definition, all the codes SHALL be unique (expression : (concept.code | descendants().concept.code).isDistinct(), xpath: count(distinct-values(descendant::f:concept/f:code/@value))=count(descendant::f:concept))
CodeSystem.url
Definition

An absolute URI that is used to identify this code system 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 code system is (or will be) published. The URL SHOULD include the major version of the code system. For more information see Technical and Business Versions. This is used in [Coding]{datatypes.html#Coding}.system.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Requirements

Allows the code system to be referenced by a single globally unique identifier.

Summarytrue
Comments

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.

CodeSystem.identifier
Definition

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

NoteThis is a business identifer, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
Control0..1
TypeIdentifier
Requirements

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

Summarytrue
Comments

Typically, this is used for identifiers that can go in an HL7 V3 II (instance identifier) data type, e.g., to identify this code system outside of FHIR, where it is not possible to use the logical URI.

CodeSystem.version
Definition

The identifier that is used to identify this version of the code system when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the code system 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. This is used in [Coding]{datatypes.html#Coding}.version.

NoteThis is a business versionId, not a resource version id (see discussion)
Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Comments

There may be different code system instances that have the same identifier but different versions. The version can be appended to the url in a reference to allow a refrence to a particular business version of the code system with the format [url]|[version].

CodeSystem.name
Definition

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

Control0..1
Typestring
Requirements

Support human navigation and code generation.

Summarytrue
Comments

The name is not expected to be globally unique. The name should be a simple alpha-numeric type name to ensure that it is computable friendly.

CodeSystem.title
Definition

A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the code system.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Comments

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

CodeSystem.status
Definition

The status of this code system. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content.

Control1..1
Terminology BindingPublicationStatus (Required)
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Comments

Allows filtering of code systems that are appropriate for use vs. not.
This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications should not use a retired code system without due consideration.

CodeSystem.experimental
Definition

A boolean value to indicate that this code system is authored for testing purposes (or education/evaluation/marketing), and is not intended to be used for genuine usage.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Is Modifiertrue
Requirements

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

Summarytrue
Comments

Allows filtering of code system that are appropriate for use vs. not. This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications should not use an experimental code system in production.

CodeSystem.date
Definition

The date (and optionally time) when the code system was published. The date must change if and 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 code system changes.

Control0..1
TypedateTime
Alternate NamesRevision Date
Summarytrue
Comments

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

CodeSystem.publisher
Definition

The name of the individual or organization that published the code system.

Control0..1
Typestring
Requirements

Helps establish the "authority/credibility" of the code system. May also allow for contact.

Summarytrue
Comments

Usually an organization, but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the code system is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the code system. 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 code system. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.

CodeSystem.contact
Definition

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

Control0..*
TypeContactDetail
Summarytrue
Comments

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

CodeSystem.description
Definition

A free text natural language description of the code system from a consumer's perspective.

Control0..1
Typemarkdown
Alternate NamesScope; Purpose
Comments

This description can be used to capture details such as why the code system was built, comments about misuse, instructions for clinical use and interpretation, literature references, examples from the paper world, etc. It is not a rendering of the code system as conveyed in the 'text' field of the resource itself. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context (e.g. the language of the profile is presumed to be the predominant language in the place the profile was created).

CodeSystem.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 for appropriate code system instances.

Control0..*
TypeUsageContext
Requirements

Assist in searching for appropriate content.

Summarytrue
Comments

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

CodeSystem.jurisdiction
Definition

A legal or geographic region in which the code system is intended to be used.

Control0..*
Terminology BindingJurisdiction ValueSet (Extensible)
TypeCodeableConcept
Summarytrue
Comments

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

CodeSystem.purpose
Definition

Explaination of why this code system is needed and why it has been designed as it has.

Control0..1
Typemarkdown
Comments

This element does not describe the usage of the code system 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 code system.

CodeSystem.copyright
Definition

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

Control0..1
Typemarkdown
Requirements

Consumers must be able to determine any legal restrictions on the use of the code system and/or its content.

Alternate NamesLicense; Restrictions
Comments

... Sometimes, the copyright differs between the code system and the codes that are included. The copyright statement should clearly differentiate between these when required.

CodeSystem.caseSensitive
Definition

If code comparison is case sensitive when codes within this system are compared to each other.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Summarytrue
Comments

If this value is missing, then it is not specified whether a code system is case sensitive or not. When the rule is not known, Postel's law should be followed: produce codes with the correct case, and accept codes in any case. This element is primarily provided to support validation software.

CodeSystem.valueSet
Definition

Canonical URL of value set that contains the entire code system.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Summarytrue
Comments

The definition of the value set SHALL include all codes from this code system, and it SHALL be immutable.

CodeSystem.hierarchyMeaning
Definition

The meaning of the hierarchy of concepts.

Control0..1
Terminology BindingCodeSystemHierarchyMeaning (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.compositional
Definition

True If code system defines a post-composition grammar.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Alternate Namesgrammar
Summarytrue
Comments

Note that the code system resource does not define what the compositional grammar is, only whether or not there is one.

CodeSystem.versionNeeded
Definition

This flag is used to signify that the code system has not (or does not) maintain the definitions, and a version must be specified when referencing this code system.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Summarytrue
Comments

Best practice is that code systems do not redefine concepts, or that if concepts are redefined, a new code system definition is created. But this is not always possible, so some code systems may be defined as 'versionNeeded'.

CodeSystem.content
Definition

How much of the content of the code system - the concepts and codes it defines - are represented in this resource.

Control1..1
Terminology BindingCodeSystemContentMode (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.count
Definition

The total number of concepts defined by the code system. Where the code system has a compositional grammar, the count refers to the number of base (primitive) concepts.

Control0..1
TypeunsignedInt
Summarytrue
Comments

The count of concepts defined in this resource cannot be more than this value, but may be less for several reasons - see the content value.

CodeSystem.filter
Definition

A filter that can be used in a value set compose statement when selecting concepts using a filter.

Control0..*
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.filter.code
Definition

The code that identifies this filter when it is used in the instance.

Control1..1
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.filter.description
Definition

A description of how or why the filter is used.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.filter.operator
Definition

A list of operators that can be used with the filter.

Control1..*
Terminology BindingFilterOperator (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.filter.value
Definition

A description of what the value for the filter should be.

Control1..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.property
Definition

A property defines an additional slot through which additional information can be provided about a concept.

Control0..*
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.property.code
Definition

A code that is used to identify the property. The code is used internally (in CodeSystem.concept.property.code) and also externally, such as in property filters.

Control1..1
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.property.uri
Definition

Reference to the formal meaning of the property. One possible source of meaning is the Concept Properties code system.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.property.description
Definition

A description of the property- why it is defined, and how its value might be used.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.property.type
Definition

The type of the property value. Properties of type "code" contain a code defined by the code system (e.g. a reference to anotherr defined concept).

Control1..1
Terminology BindingPropertyType (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
CodeSystem.concept
Definition

Concepts that are in the code system. The concept definitions are inherently hierarchical, but the definitions must be consulted to determine what the meaning of the hierarchical relationships are.

Control0..*
Comments

If this is empty, it means that the code system resource does not represent the content of the code system.

CodeSystem.concept.code
Definition

A code - a text symbol - that uniquely identifies the concept within the code system.

Control1..1
Typecode
CodeSystem.concept.display
Definition

A human readable string that is the recommended default way to present this concept to a user.

Control0..1
Typestring
CodeSystem.concept.definition
Definition

The formal definition of the concept. The code system resource does not make formal definitions required, because of the prevalence of legacy systems. However, they are highly recommended, as without them there is no formal meaning associated with the concept.

Control0..1
Typestring
CodeSystem.concept.designation
Definition

Additional representations for the concept - other languages, aliases, specialized purposes, used for particular purposes, etc.

Control0..*
Requirements

Many concept definition systems support multiple representations, in multiple languages, and for multiple purposes.

CodeSystem.concept.designation.language
Definition

The language this designation is defined for.

Control0..1
Terminology BindingCommon Languages (Extensible but limited to ??)
Typecode
Comments

In the absence of a language, the resource language applies.

CodeSystem.concept.designation.use
Definition

A code that details how this designation would be used.

Control0..1
Terminology BindingDesignation Use (Extensible)
TypeCoding
Comments

If no use is provided, the designation can be assumed to be suitable for general display to a human user.

CodeSystem.concept.designation.value
Definition

The text value for this designation.

Control1..1
Typestring
CodeSystem.concept.property
Definition

A property value for this concept.

Control0..*
CodeSystem.concept.property.code
Definition

A code that is a reference to CodeSystem.property.code.

Control1..1
Typecode
CodeSystem.concept.property.value[x]
Definition

The value of this property.

Control1..1
Typecode|Coding|string|integer|boolean|dateTime
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
CodeSystem.concept.concept
Definition

Defines children of a concept to produce a hierarchy of concepts. The nature of the relationships is variable (is-a/contains/categorizes) - see hierarchyMeaning.

Control0..*
TypeSee CodeSystem.concept