DSTU2

This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v1.0.2: DSTU 2). The current version which supercedes this version is 5.0.0. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions

6.16.7 Resource Conformance - Detailed Descriptions

Detailed Descriptions for the elements in the Conformance resource.

Conformance
Definition

A conformance statement is a set of capabilities of a FHIR Server that may be used as a statement of actual server functionality or a statement of required or desired server implementation.

Control1..1
InvariantsDefined on this element
cnf-1: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of REST, messaging or document (xpath: exists(f:rest) or exists(f:messaging) or exists(f:document))
cnf-14: Conformance statements of kind 'requirements' do not have software or implementation elements (xpath: not(exists(f:software) or exists(f:implementation)) or (f:kind/@value != 'requirements'))
cnf-15: Conformance statements of kind 'software' do not have implementation elements (xpath: not(exists(f:implementation)) or (f:kind/@value != 'capability'))
cnf-2: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of description, software, or implementation (xpath: count(f:software | f:implementation | f:description) > 0)
cnf-3: Messaging end-point is required (and is only permitted) when statement is for an implementation (xpath: not(exists(f:messaging/f:endpoint)) or f:kind/@value = 'instance')
cnf-7: The set of documents must be unique by the combination of profile & mode (xpath: count(f:document[f:mode/@value='producer'])=count(distinct-values(f:document[f:mode/@value='producer']/f:profile/f:reference/@value)) and count(f:document[f:mode/@value='consumer'])=count(distinct-values(f:document[f:mode/@value='consumer']/f:profile/f:reference/@value)))
cnf-8: There can only be one REST declaration per mode (xpath: count(f:rest)=count(distinct-values(f:rest/f:mode/@value)))
Conformance.url
Definition

An absolute URL that is used to identify this conformance statement 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 conformance statement is (or will be) published.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Summarytrue
Conformance.version
Definition

The identifier that is used to identify this version of the conformance statement when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the profile author manually and the value should be a timestamp.

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

There may be multiple different instances of a conformance statement that have the same identifier but different versions.

Conformance.name
Definition

A free text natural language name identifying the conformance statement.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Comments

The name is not expected to be globally unique.

Conformance.status
Definition

The status of this conformance statement.

Control0..1
BindingConformanceResourceStatus: The lifecycle status of a Value Set or Concept Map. (Required)
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Comments

This is not intended for use with actual conformance statements, but where conformance statements are used to describe possible or desired systems.

Conformance.experimental
Definition

A flag to indicate that this conformance statement is authored for testing purposes (or education/evaluation/marketing), and is not intended to be used for genuine usage.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Summarytrue
Comments

Allows filtering of conformance statements that are appropriate for use vs. not.

Conformance.publisher
Definition

The name of the individual or organization that published the conformance.

Control0..1
Typestring
Requirements

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

Summarytrue
Comments

Usually an organization, but may be an individual. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.

Conformance.contact
Definition

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

Control0..*
Summarytrue
Comments

May be a web site, an email address, a telephone number (tel:), etc.

Conformance.contact.name
Definition

The name of an individual to contact regarding the conformance.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Comments

If there is no named individual, the telecom is for the organization as a whole.

Conformance.contact.telecom
Definition

Contact details for individual (if a name was provided) or the publisher.

Control0..*
TypeContactPoint
Summarytrue
Conformance.date
Definition

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

Control1..1
TypedateTime
Summarytrue
Comments

Additional specific dates may be added as extensions.

Conformance.description
Definition

A free text natural language description of the conformance statement and its use. Typically, this is used when the conformance statement describes a desired rather than an actual solution, for example as a formal expression of requirements as part of an RFP.

Control0..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Comments

This field may include the purpose of this conformance statement, comments about its context etc. This does not need to be populated if the description is adequately implied by the software or implementation details.

InvariantsAffect this element
cnf-2: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of description, software, or implementation (xpath: count(f:software | f:implementation | f:description) > 0)
Conformance.requirements
Definition

Explains why this conformance statement is needed and why it's been constrained as it has.

Control0..1
Typestring
Comments

This element does not describe the usage of the conformance statement (that's done in comments), rather it's for traceability of why the element is either needed or why the constraints exist as they do. This may be used to point to source materials or specifications that drove the structure of this data element.

Conformance.copyright
Definition

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

Control0..1
Typestring
Alternate NamesLicense; Restrictions
Conformance.kind
Definition

The way that this statement is intended to be used, to describe an actual running instance of software, a particular product (kind not instance of software) or a class of implementation (e.g. a desired purchase).

Control1..1
BindingConformanceStatementKind: How a conformance statement is intended to be used. (Required)
Typecode
Requirements

Allow searching the 3 modes.

Summarytrue
Conformance.software
Definition

Software that is covered by this conformance statement. It is used when the conformance statement describes the capabilities of a particular software version, independent of an installation.

Control0..1
Summarytrue
InvariantsAffect this element
cnf-2: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of description, software, or implementation (xpath: count(f:software | f:implementation | f:description) > 0)
Conformance.software.name
Definition

Name software is known by.

Control1..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Conformance.software.version
Definition

The version identifier for the software covered by this statement.

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

If possible, version should be specified, as statements are likely to be different for different versions of software.

Conformance.software.releaseDate
Definition

Date this version of the software released.

Control0..1
TypedateTime
Summarytrue
Conformance.implementation
Definition

Identifies a specific implementation instance that is described by the conformance statement - i.e. a particular installation, rather than the capabilities of a software program.

Control0..1
Summarytrue
InvariantsAffect this element
cnf-2: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of description, software, or implementation (xpath: count(f:software | f:implementation | f:description) > 0)
Conformance.implementation.description
Definition

Information about the specific installation that this conformance statement relates to.

Control1..1
Typestring
Summarytrue
Conformance.implementation.url
Definition

An absolute base URL for the implementation. This forms the base for REST interfaces as well as the mailbox and document interfaces.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Summarytrue
Conformance.fhirVersion
Definition

The version of the FHIR specification on which this conformance statement is based.

Control1..1
Typeid
Summarytrue
Conformance.acceptUnknown
Definition

A code that indicates whether the application accepts unknown elements or extensions when reading resources.

Control1..1
BindingUnknownContentCode: A code that indicates whether an application accepts unknown elements or extensions when reading resources. (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
Comments

Unknown elements in a resource can only arise as later versions of the specification are published, because this is the only place where such elements can be defined. Hence accepting unknown elements is about inter-version compatibility.

Applications are recommended to accept unknown extensions and elements ('both'), but this is not always possible.

Conformance.format
Definition

A list of the formats supported by this implementation using their content types.

Control1..*
BindingMimeType : Required: BCP 13 (RFCs 2045, 2046, 2047, 4288, 4289 and 2049) (The mime type of an attachment. Any valid mime type is allowed.)
Typecode
Summarytrue
Comments

"xml" or "json" are allowed, which describe the simple encodings described in the specification (and imply appropriate bundle support). Otherwise, mime types are legal here.

Conformance.profile
Definition

A list of profiles that represent different use cases supported by the system. For a server, "supported by the system" means the system hosts/produces a set of resources that are conformant to a particular profile, and allows clients that use its services to search using this profile and to find appropriate data. For a client, it means the system will search by this profile and process data according to the guidance implicit in the profile. See further discussion in [Using Profiles]{profiling.html#profile-uses}.

Control0..*
TypeReference(StructureDefinition)
Comments

Supported profiles are different to the profiles that apply to a particular resource in rest.resource.profile. The resource profile is a general statement of what features of the resource are supported overall by the system - the sum total of the facilities it supports. A supported profile is a deeper statement about the functionality of the data and services provided by the server (or used by the client). A typical case is a laboratory system that produces a set of different reports - this is the list of types of data that it publishes. A key aspect of declaring profiles here is the question of how the client converts knowledge that the server publishes this data into working with the data; the client can inspect individual resources to determine whether they conform to a particular profile, but how does it find the ones that does? It does so by searching using the profile parameter, so any resources listed here must be valid values for the profile resource (using the identifier in the target profile). Typical supported profiles cross resource types to describe a network of related resources, so they are listed here rather than by resource. However, they do not need to describe more than one resource.

Conformance.rest
Definition

A definition of the restful capabilities of the solution, if any.

Control0..*
Summarytrue
Comments

Multiple repetitions allow definition of both client and / or server behaviors or possibly behaviors under different configuration settings (for software or requirements statements).

InvariantsDefined on this element
cnf-9: A given resource can only be described once per RESTful mode (xpath: count(f:resource)=count(distinct-values(f:resource/f:type/@value)))
Affect this element
cnf-1: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of REST, messaging or document (xpath: exists(f:rest) or exists(f:messaging) or exists(f:document))
Conformance.rest.mode
Definition

Identifies whether this portion of the statement is describing ability to initiate or receive restful operations.

Control1..1
BindingRestfulConformanceMode: The mode of a RESTful conformance statement. (Required)
Typecode
Summarytrue
Conformance.rest.documentation
Definition

Information about the system's restful capabilities that apply across all applications, such as security.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.rest.security
Definition

Information about security implementation from an interface perspective - what a client needs to know.

Control0..1
Conformance.rest.security.cors
Definition

Server adds CORS headers when responding to requests - this enables javascript applications to use the server.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Comments

The easiest CORS headers to add are Access-Control-Allow-Origin: * & Access-Control-Request-Method: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE. All servers SHOULD support CORS.

Conformance.rest.security.service
Definition

Types of security services are supported/required by the system.

Control0..*
BindingRestfulSecurityService: Types of security services used with FHIR. (Extensible)
TypeCodeableConcept
Conformance.rest.security.description
Definition

General description of how security works.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.rest.security.certificate
Definition

Certificates associated with security profiles.

Control0..*
Conformance.rest.security.certificate.type
Definition

Mime type for certificate.

Control0..1
BindingMimeType : Required: BCP 13 (RFCs 2045, 2046, 2047, 4288, 4289 and 2049) (The mime type of an attachment. Any valid mime type is allowed.)
Typecode
Conformance.rest.security.certificate.blob
Definition

Actual certificate.

Control0..1
Typebase64Binary
Conformance.rest.resource
Definition

A specification of the restful capabilities of the solution for a specific resource type.

Control1..*
Summarytrue
Comments

Max of one repetition per resource type.

InvariantsDefined on this element
cnf-12: Search parameter names must be unique in the context of a resource (xpath: count(f:searchParam)=count(distinct-values(f:searchParam/f:name/@value)))
Conformance.rest.resource.type
Definition

A type of resource exposed via the restful interface.

Control1..1
BindingResourceType: Any defined Resource Type name
Typecode
Summarytrue
Conformance.rest.resource.profile
Definition

A specification of the profile that describes the solution's overall support for the resource, including any constraints on cardinality, bindings, lengths or other limitations. See further discussion in [Using Profiles]{profiling.html#profile-uses}.

Control0..1
TypeReference(StructureDefinition)
Comments

The profile applies to all resources of this type - i.e. it is the superset of what is supported by the system.

Conformance.rest.resource.interaction
Definition

Identifies a restful operation supported by the solution.

Control1..*
Conformance.rest.resource.interaction.code
Definition

Coded identifier of the operation, supported by the system resource.

Control1..1
BindingTypeRestfulInteraction: Operations supported by REST at the type or instance level. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.rest.resource.interaction.documentation
Definition

Guidance specific to the implementation of this operation, such as 'delete is a logical delete' or 'updates are only allowed with version id' or 'creates permitted from pre-authorized certificates only'.

Control0..1
Typestring
Requirements

REST allows a degree of variability in the implementation of RESTful solutions that is useful for exchange partners to be aware of.

Conformance.rest.resource.versioning
Definition

This field is set to no-version to specify that the system does not support (server) or use (client) versioning for this resource type. If this has some other value, the server must at least correctly track and populate the versionId meta-property on resources. If the value is 'versioned-update', then the server supports all the versioning features, including using e-tags for version integrity in the API.

Control0..1
BindingResourceVersionPolicy: How the system supports versioning for a resource. (Required)
Typecode
Comments

If a server supports versionIds correctly, it SHOULD support vread too, but is not required to do so.

Conformance.rest.resource.readHistory
Definition

A flag for whether the server is able to return past versions as part of the vRead operation.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Comments

It is useful to support the vRead operation for current operations, even if past versions aren't available.

Conformance.rest.resource.updateCreate
Definition

A flag to indicate that the server allows or needs to allow the client to create new identities on the server (e.g. that is, the client PUTs to a location where there is no existing resource). Allowing this operation means that the server allows the client to create new identities on the server.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Comments

Allowing the clients to create new identities on the server means that the system administrator needs to have confidence that the clients do not create clashing identities between them. Obviously, if there is only one client, this won't happen. While creating identities on the client means that the clients need to be managed, it's much more convenient for many scenarios if such management can be put in place.

Conformance.rest.resource.conditionalCreate
Definition

A flag that indicates that the server supports conditional create.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Comments

Conditional Create is mainly appropriate for interface engine scripts converting from other formats, such as v2.

Conformance.rest.resource.conditionalUpdate
Definition

A flag that indicates that the server supports conditional update.

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Comments

Conditional Update is mainly appropriate for interface engine scripts converting from other formats, such as v2.

Conformance.rest.resource.conditionalDelete
Definition

A code that indicates how the server supports conditional delete.

Control0..1
BindingConditionalDeleteStatus: A code that indicates how the server supports conditional delete. (Required)
Typecode
Comments

Conditional Delete is mainly appropriate for interface engine scripts converting from other formats, such as v2.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchInclude
Definition

A list of _include values supported by the server.

Control0..*
Typestring
Comments

If this list is empty, the server does not support includes.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchRevInclude
Definition

A list of _revinclude (reverse include) values supported by the server.

Control0..*
Typestring
Comments

If this list is empty, the server does not support includes.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam
Definition

Search parameters for implementations to support and/or make use of - either references to ones defined in the specification, or additional ones defined for/by the implementation.

Control0..*
InvariantsDefined on this element
cnf-13: Search parameters can only have chain names when the search parameter type is 'reference' (xpath: not(exists(f:chain)) or (f:type/@value = 'reference'))
Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.name
Definition

The name of the search parameter used in the interface.

Control1..1
Typestring
Comments

Parameter names cannot overlap with standard parameter names, and standard parameters cannot be redefined.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.definition
Definition

An absolute URI that is a formal reference to where this parameter was first defined, so that a client can be confident of the meaning of the search parameter (a reference to SearchParameter.url).

Control0..1
Typeuri
Comments

This SHOULD be present, and matches SearchParameter.url.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.type
Definition

The type of value a search parameter refers to, and how the content is interpreted.

Control1..1
BindingSearchParamType: Data types allowed to be used for search parameters. (Required)
Typecode
Comments

While this can be looked up from the definition, it is included here as a convenience for systems that autogenerate a query interface based on the server conformance statement. It SHALL be the same as the type in the search parameter definition.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.documentation
Definition

This allows documentation of any distinct behaviors about how the search parameter is used. For example, text matching algorithms.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.target
Definition

Types of resource (if a resource is referenced).

Control0..*
BindingResourceType: Any defined Resource Type name
Typecode
Comments

This SHALL be the same as or a proper subset of the resources listed in the search parameter definition.

Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.modifier
Definition

A modifier supported for the search parameter.

Control0..*
BindingSearchModifierCode: A supported modifier for a search parameter. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.chain
Definition

Contains the names of any search parameters which may be chained to the containing search parameter. Chained parameters may be added to search parameters of type reference, and specify that resources will only be returned if they contain a reference to a resource which matches the chained parameter value. Values for this field should be drawn from Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam.name on the target resource type.

Control0..*
Typestring
Comments

Systems are not required to list all the chain names they support, but if they don't list them, clients may not know to use them.

Conformance.rest.interaction
Definition

A specification of restful operations supported by the system.

Control0..*
Conformance.rest.interaction.code
Definition

A coded identifier of the operation, supported by the system.

Control1..1
BindingSystemRestfulInteraction: Operations supported by REST at the system level. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.rest.interaction.documentation
Definition

Guidance specific to the implementation of this operation, such as limitations on the kind of transactions allowed, or information about system wide search is implemented.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.rest.transactionMode
Definition

A code that indicates how transactions are supported.

Control0..1
BindingTransactionMode: A code that indicates how transactions are supported. (Required)
Typecode
Default Valuenot-supported
Conformance.rest.searchParam
Definition

Search parameters that are supported for searching all resources for implementations to support and/or make use of - either references to ones defined in the specification, or additional ones defined for/by the implementation.

Control0..*
TypeSee Conformance.rest.resource.searchParam
Comments

Typically, the only search parameters supported for all parameters are search parameters that apply to all resources - tags, profiles, text search etc.

Conformance.rest.operation
Definition

Definition of an operation or a named query and with its parameters and their meaning and type.

Control0..*
Conformance.rest.operation.name
Definition

The name of a query, which is used in the _query parameter when the query is called.

Control1..1
Typestring
Comments

The name here SHOULD be the same as the name in the definition, unless there is a name clash and the name cannot be used.

Conformance.rest.operation.definition
Definition

Where the formal definition can be found.

Control1..1
TypeReference(OperationDefinition)
Comments

This can be used to build an HTML form to invoke the operation, for instance.

Conformance.rest.compartment
Definition

An absolute URI which is a reference to the definition of a compartment hosted by the system.

Control0..*
Typeuri
Comments

At present, the only defined compartments are at [[compartments.html]].

Conformance.messaging
Definition

A description of the messaging capabilities of the solution.

Control0..*
Comments

Multiple repetitions allow the documentation of multiple endpoints per solution.

InvariantsAffect this element
cnf-1: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of REST, messaging or document (xpath: exists(f:rest) or exists(f:messaging) or exists(f:document))
Conformance.messaging.endpoint
Definition

An endpoint (network accessible address) to which messages and/or replies are to be sent.

Control0..*
Alternate Names3
Conformance.messaging.endpoint.protocol
Definition

A list of the messaging transport protocol(s) identifiers, supported by this endpoint.

Control1..1
BindingMessageTransport: The protocol used for message transport. (Extensible)
TypeCoding
Conformance.messaging.endpoint.address
Definition

The network address of the end-point. For solutions that do not use network addresses for routing, it can be just an identifier.

Control1..1
Typeuri
Conformance.messaging.reliableCache
Definition

Length if the receiver's reliable messaging cache in minutes (if a receiver) or how long the cache length on the receiver should be (if a sender).

Control0..1
TypeunsignedInt
Comments

If this value is missing then the application does not implement (receiver) or depend on (sender) reliable messaging.

Conformance.messaging.documentation
Definition

Documentation about the system's messaging capabilities for this endpoint not otherwise documented by the conformance statement. For example, process for becoming an authorized messaging exchange partner.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.messaging.event
Definition

A description of the solution's support for an event at this end-point.

Control1..*
Comments

The same event may be listed up to two times - once as sender and once as receiver.

To DoNeed to add follow-ups and need to do more to flesh out messaging dynamic model.
Conformance.messaging.event.code
Definition

A coded identifier of a supported messaging event.

Control1..1
BindingMessageEvent: the Event List in the messaging framework
TypeCoding
To DoMay need a profile id as well if profiles can define message events.
Conformance.messaging.event.category
Definition

The impact of the content of the message.

Control0..1
BindingMessageSignificanceCategory: The impact of the content of a message. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.messaging.event.mode
Definition

The mode of this event declaration - whether application is sender or receiver.

Control1..1
BindingConformanceEventMode: The mode of a message conformance statement. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.messaging.event.focus
Definition

A resource associated with the event. This is the resource that defines the event.

Control1..1
BindingResourceType: Any defined Resource Type name
Typecode
Comments

This SHALL be provided if the event type supports multiple different resource types.

Conformance.messaging.event.request
Definition

Information about the request for this event.

Control1..1
TypeReference(StructureDefinition)
Conformance.messaging.event.response
Definition

Information about the response for this event.

Control1..1
TypeReference(StructureDefinition)
Conformance.messaging.event.documentation
Definition

Guidance on how this event is handled, such as internal system trigger points, business rules, etc.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.document
Definition

A document definition.

Control0..*
InvariantsAffect this element
cnf-1: A Conformance statement SHALL have at least one of REST, messaging or document (xpath: exists(f:rest) or exists(f:messaging) or exists(f:document))
Conformance.document.mode
Definition

Mode of this document declaration - whether application is producer or consumer.

Control1..1
BindingDocumentMode: Whether the application produces or consumes documents. (Required)
Typecode
Conformance.document.documentation
Definition

A description of how the application supports or uses the specified document profile. For example, when are documents created, what action is taken with consumed documents, etc.

Control0..1
Typestring
Conformance.document.profile
Definition

A constraint on a resource used in the document.

Control1..1
TypeReference(StructureDefinition)
Comments

The first resource is the document resource.