A request to convey information; e.g. the CDS system proposes that an alert be sent to a responsible provider, the CDS system proposes that the public health agency be notified about a reportable condition.

Business identifiers assigned to this communication request by the performer or other systems which remain constant as the resource is updated and propagates from server to server.

Allows identification of the communication request as it is known by various participating systems and in a way that remains consistent across servers.

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.

A plan or proposal that is fulfilled in whole or in part by this request.

Allows tracing of authorization for the request and tracking whether proposals/recommendations were acted upon.

Completed or terminated request(s) whose function is taken by this new request.

Allows tracing the continuation of a therapy or administrative process instantiated through multiple requests.

The replacement could be because the initial request was immediately rejected (due to an issue) or because the previous request was completed, but the need for the action described by the request remains ongoing.

A shared identifier common to all requests that were authorized more or less simultaneously by a single author, representing the identifier of the requisition, prescription or similar form.

Requests are linked either by a "basedOn" relationship (i.e. one request is fulfilling another) or by having a common requisition. Requests that are part of the same requisition are generally treated independently from the perspective of changing their state or maintaining them after initial creation.

The status of the proposal or order.

This element is labeled as a modifier because the status contains the codes cancelled and entered-in-error that mark the request as not currently valid.

The type of message to be sent such as alert, notification, reminder, instruction, etc.

There may be multiple axes of categorization and one communication request may serve multiple purposes.

Characterizes how quickly the proposed act must be initiated. Includes concepts such as stat, urgent, routine.

A channel that was used for this communication (e.g. email, fax).

The patient or group that is the focus of this communication request.

The entity (e.g. person, organization, clinical information system, device, group, or care team) which is the intended target of the communication.

Other resources that pertain to this communication request and to which this communication request should be associated.

Don't use CommunicationRequest.about element when a more specific element exists, such as basedOn, reasonReference, or replaces.

The encounter or episode of care within which the communication request was created.

Text, attachment(s), or resource(s) to be communicated to the recipient.

The communicated content (or for multi-part communications, one portion of the communication).

The time when this communication is to occur.

For draft requests, indicates the date of initial creation. For requests with other statuses, indicates the date of activation.

The device, individual, or organization who initiated the request and has responsibility for its activation.

The entity (e.g. person, organization, clinical information system, or device) which is to be the source of the communication.

Describes why the request is being made in coded or textual form.

Textual reasons can be captured using reasonCode.text.

Indicates another resource whose existence justifies this request.

Comments made about the request by the requester, sender, recipient, subject or other participants.