US Core Implementation Guide
6.1.0 - STU6 United States of America flag

This page is part of the US Core (v6.1.0: STU6 Update) based on FHIR R4. This is the current published version. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions. Page versions: STU6.1 STU6 STU5 STU4

Resource Profile: USCoreBloodPressureProfile - Detailed Descriptions

Active as of 2022-04-20

Definitions for the us-core-blood-pressure resource profile.

Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here.

1. Observation
2. Observation.code
Obligations
Obligations
??
Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="85354-9"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
3. Observation.component
Control20..*
Obligations
Obligations
??
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.component. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • pattern @ code
4. Observation.component:systolic
SliceNamesystolic
Control1..1
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
5. Observation.component:systolic.code
Control1..1
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8480-6"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
6. Observation.component:systolic.valueQuantity
Control0..?
TypeQuantity
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
7. Observation.component:systolic.valueQuantity.value
Control1..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
8. Observation.component:systolic.valueQuantity.unit
Control1..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
9. Observation.component:systolic.valueQuantity.system
Control1..1
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
10. Observation.component:systolic.valueQuantity.code
Control1..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Fixed Valuemm[Hg]
11. Observation.component:diastolic
SliceNamediastolic
Control1..1
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
12. Observation.component:diastolic.code
Control1..1
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8462-4"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
13. Observation.component:diastolic.valueQuantity
Control0..?
TypeQuantity
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
14. Observation.component:diastolic.valueQuantity.value
Control1..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
15. Observation.component:diastolic.valueQuantity.unit
Control1..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
16. Observation.component:diastolic.valueQuantity.system
Control1..1
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
17. Observation.component:diastolic.valueQuantity.code
Control1..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Fixed Valuemm[Hg]

Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here.

1. Observation
Definition

-

Measurements and simple assertions made about a patient, device or other subject.

Control0..*
Summaryfalse
Alternate NamesVital Signs, Measurement, Results, Tests
Comments

-

Used for simple observations such as device measurements, laboratory atomic results, vital signs, height, weight, smoking status, comments, etc. Other resources are used to provide context for observations such as laboratory reports, etc.

InvariantsDefined on this element
dom-2: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT contain nested Resources (: contained.contained.empty())
dom-3: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL be referred to from elsewhere in the resource or SHALL refer to the containing resource (: contained.where((('#'+id in (%resource.descendants().reference | %resource.descendants().as(canonical) | %resource.descendants().as(uri) | %resource.descendants().as(url))) or descendants().where(reference = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists()).not()).trace('unmatched', id).empty())
dom-4: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a meta.versionId or a meta.lastUpdated (: contained.meta.versionId.empty() and contained.meta.lastUpdated.empty())
dom-5: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a security label (: contained.meta.security.empty())
dom-6: A resource should have narrative for robust management (: text.`div`.exists())
obs-6: dataAbsentReason SHALL only be present if Observation.value[x] is not present (: dataAbsentReason.empty() or value.empty())
obs-7: If Observation.code is the same as an Observation.component.code then the value element associated with the code SHALL NOT be present (: value.empty() or component.code.where(coding.intersect(%resource.code.coding).exists()).empty())
vs-2: If there is no component or hasMember element then either a value[x] or a data absent reason must be present. (: (component.empty() and hasMember.empty()) implies (dataAbsentReason.exists() or value.exists()))
2. Observation.implicitRules
Definition

A reference to a set of rules that were followed when the resource was constructed, and which must be understood when processing the content. Often, this is a reference to an implementation guide that defines the special rules along with other profiles etc.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Comments

Asserting this rule set restricts the content to be only understood by a limited set of trading partners. This inherently limits the usefulness of the data in the long term. However, the existing health eco-system is highly fractured, and not yet ready to define, collect, and exchange data in a generally computable sense. Wherever possible, implementers and/or specification writers should avoid using this element. Often, when used, the URL is a reference to an implementation guide that defines these special rules as part of it's narrative along with other profiles, value sets, etc.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
3. Observation.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource and that modifies the understanding of the element that contains it and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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 is allowed to define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
4. Observation.status
Definition

The status of the result value.

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationStatus
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to track the status of individual results. Some results are finalized before the whole report is finalized.

Comments

This element is labeled as a modifier because the status contains codes that mark the resource as not currently valid.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
5. Observation.category
Definition

A code that classifies the general type of observation being made.

Control10..*
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from ObservationCategoryCodes

Codes for high level observation categories.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Used for filtering what observations are retrieved and displayed.

Comments

In addition to the required category valueset, this element allows various categorization schemes based on the owner’s definition of the category and effectively multiple categories can be used at once. The level of granularity is defined by the category concepts in the value set.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.category. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ coding.code
  • value @ coding.code,
6. Observation.category:VSCat
SliceNameVSCat
Definition

A code that classifies the general type of observation being made.

Control10..1*
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from ObservationCategoryCodes

Codes for high level observation categories.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Used for filtering what observations are retrieved and displayed.

Comments

In addition to the required category valueset, this element allows various categorization schemes based on the owner’s definition of the category and effectively multiple categories can be used at once. The level of granularity is defined by the category concepts in the value set.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
7. Observation.category:VSCat.coding
Definition

A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.

Control10..*
TypeCoding
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.

Comments

Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations, or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information. Ordering of codings is undefined and SHALL NOT be used to infer meaning. Generally, at most only one of the coding values will be labeled as UserSelected = true.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
8. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.system
Definition

The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.

Control10..1
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.

Comments

The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.

Fixed Valuehttp://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/observation-category
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
9. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.code
Definition

A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).

Control10..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to refer to a particular code in the system.

Fixed Valuevital-signs
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
10. Observation.code
Definition

Coded Responses from C-CDA Vital Sign Results.

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "name".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor example codes, see LOINCCodes

The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs.

Codes identifying names of simple observations.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] code, where the @code SHOULD be selected from ValueSet HITSP Vital Sign Result Type 2.16.840.1.113883.3.88.12.80.62 DYNAMIC (CONF:7301).

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Alternate NamesName
Comments

All code-value and, if present, component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="85354-9"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
11. Observation.subject
Definition

The patient, or group of patients, location, or device this observation is about and into whose record the observation is placed. If the actual focus of the observation is different from the subject (or a sample of, part, or region of the subject), the focus element or the code itself specifies the actual focus of the observation.

Control10..1
TypeReference(USCorePatientProfile|Patient|Group|Device|Location)
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Observations have no value if you don't know who or what they're about.

Comments

One would expect this element to be a cardinality of 1..1. The only circumstance in which the subject can be missing is when the observation is made by a device that does not know the patient. In this case, the observation SHALL be matched to a patient through some context/channel matching technique, and at this point, the observation should be updated.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
12. Observation.effective[x]
Definition

Often just a dateTime for Vital Signs.

The time or time-period the observed value is asserted as being true. For biological subjects - e.g. human patients - this is usually called the "physiologically relevant time". This is usually either the time of the procedure or of specimen collection, but very often the source of the date/time is not known, only the date/time itself.

Control10..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-1
TypeChoice of: dateTime, Period, Timing, instant
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesdateTime
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing when an observation was deemed true is important to its relevance as well as determining trends.

Alternate NamesOccurrence
Comments

At least a date should be present unless this observation is a historical report. For recording imprecise or "fuzzy" times (For example, a blood glucose measurement taken "after breakfast") use the Timing datatype which allow the measurement to be tied to regular life events.

At least a date should be present unless this observation is a historical report. For recording imprecise or "fuzzy" times (For example, a blood glucose measurement taken "after breakfast") use the Timing datatype which allow the measurement to be tied to regular life events.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-1: if Observation.effective[x] is dateTime and has a value then that value shall be precise to the day (: ($this as dateTime).toString().length() >= 8)
13. Observation.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type.

The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-7, vs-2
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor codes, see (unbound) Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, CodeableConcept, string, boolean, integer, Range, Ratio, SampledData, time, dateTime, Period
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesQuantity
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).

An observation exists to have a value, though it might not if it is in error, or if it represents a group of observations.

Comments

An observation may have; 1) a single value here, 2) both a value and a set of related or component values, or 3) only a set of related or component values. If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

An observation may have; 1) a single value here, 2) both a value and a set of related or component values, or 3) only a set of related or component values. If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
14. Observation.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-2
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable

Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

Null or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "specimen unsatisfactory".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Note that an observation may only be reported if there are values to report. For example differential cell counts values may be reported only when > 0. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for null or exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
15. Observation.component
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Some observations have multiple component observations. These component observations are expressed as separate code value pairs that share the same attributes. Examples include systolic and diastolic component observations for blood pressure measurement and multiple component observations for genetics observations.

Control20..*
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.component. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • pattern @ code
16. Observation.component.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
17. Observation.component.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor example codes, see LOINCCodes

The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs.

Codes identifying names of simple observations.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
18. Observation.component.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor codes, see (unbound) Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, CodeableConcept, string, boolean, integer, Range, Ratio, SampledData, time, dateTime, Period
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesQuantity
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).

An observation exists to have a value, though it might not if it is in error, or if it represents a group of observations.

Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
19. Observation.component.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable

Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
20. Observation.component:systolic
SliceNamesystolic
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Some observations have multiple component observations. These component observations are expressed as separate code value pairs that share the same attributes. Examples include systolic and diastolic component observations for blood pressure measurement and multiple component observations for genetics observations.

Control10..1*
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
21. Observation.component:systolic.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
22. Observation.component:systolic.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor example codes, see LOINCCodes

The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs.

Codes identifying names of simple observations.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8480-6"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
23. Observation.component:systolic.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor codes, see (unbound) Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, dateTime, boolean, string, SampledData, Period, Ratio, integer, time, Range, CodeableConcept
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).

An observation exists to have a value, though it might not if it is in error, or if it represents a group of observations.

Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
24. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].value
Definition

The value of the measured amount. The value includes an implicit precision in the presentation of the value.

Control10..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Precision is handled implicitly in almost all cases of measurement.

Comments

The implicit precision in the value should always be honored. Monetary values have their own rules for handling precision (refer to standard accounting text books).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
25. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].comparator
Definition

How the value should be understood and represented - whether the actual value is greater or less than the stated value due to measurement issues; e.g. if the comparator is "<" , then the real value is < stated value.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from QuantityComparator

How the Quantity should be understood and represented.

Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a framework for handling measures where the value is <5ug/L or >400mg/L due to the limitations of measuring methodology.

Meaning if MissingIf there is no comparator, then there is no modification of the value
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
26. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].unit
Definition

A human-readable form of the unit.

Control10..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

There are many representations for units of measure and in many contexts, particular representations are fixed and required. I.e. mcg for micrograms.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
27. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].system
Definition

The identification of the system that provides the coded form of the unit.

Control10..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: qty-3
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to know the system that defines the coded form of the unit.

Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
28. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].code
Definition

A computer processable form of the unit in some unit representation system.

Control10..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a computable form of the unit that is fixed across all forms. UCUM provides this for quantities, but SNOMED CT provides many units of interest.

Comments

The preferred system is UCUM, but SNOMED CT can also be used (for customary units) or ISO 4217 for currency. The context of use may additionally require a code from a particular system.

Fixed Valuemm[Hg]
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
29. Observation.component:systolic.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable

Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
30. Observation.component:diastolic
SliceNamediastolic
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Some observations have multiple component observations. These component observations are expressed as separate code value pairs that share the same attributes. Examples include systolic and diastolic component observations for blood pressure measurement and multiple component observations for genetics observations.

Control10..1*
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
31. Observation.component:diastolic.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
32. Observation.component:diastolic.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor example codes, see LOINCCodes

The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs.

Codes identifying names of simple observations.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8462-4"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
33. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitableFor codes, see (unbound) Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, dateTime, boolean, string, SampledData, Period, Ratio, integer, time, Range, CodeableConcept
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).

An observation exists to have a value, though it might not if it is in error, or if it represents a group of observations.

Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
34. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].value
Definition

The value of the measured amount. The value includes an implicit precision in the presentation of the value.

Control10..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Precision is handled implicitly in almost all cases of measurement.

Comments

The implicit precision in the value should always be honored. Monetary values have their own rules for handling precision (refer to standard accounting text books).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
35. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].comparator
Definition

How the value should be understood and represented - whether the actual value is greater or less than the stated value due to measurement issues; e.g. if the comparator is "<" , then the real value is < stated value.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from QuantityComparator

How the Quantity should be understood and represented.

Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a framework for handling measures where the value is <5ug/L or >400mg/L due to the limitations of measuring methodology.

Meaning if MissingIf there is no comparator, then there is no modification of the value
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
36. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].unit
Definition

A human-readable form of the unit.

Control10..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

There are many representations for units of measure and in many contexts, particular representations are fixed and required. I.e. mcg for micrograms.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
37. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].system
Definition

The identification of the system that provides the coded form of the unit.

Control10..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: qty-3
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to know the system that defines the coded form of the unit.

Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
38. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].code
Definition

A computer processable form of the unit in some unit representation system.

Control10..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a computable form of the unit that is fixed across all forms. UCUM provides this for quantities, but SNOMED CT provides many units of interest.

Comments

The preferred system is UCUM, but SNOMED CT can also be used (for customary units) or ISO 4217 for currency. The context of use may additionally require a code from a particular system.

Fixed Valuemm[Hg]
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
39. Observation.component:diastolic.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable

Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing.

TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))

Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here.

1. Observation
Definition

-

Control0..*
Summaryfalse
Alternate NamesVital Signs, Measurement, Results, Tests
Comments

-

2. Observation.id
Definition

The logical id of the resource, as used in the URL for the resource. Once assigned, this value never changes.

Control0..1
Typeid
Summarytrue
Comments

The only time that a resource does not have an id is when it is being submitted to the server using a create operation.

3. Observation.meta
Definition

The metadata about the resource. This is content that is maintained by the infrastructure. Changes to the content might not always be associated with version changes to the resource.

Control0..1
TypeMeta
Summarytrue
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
4. Observation.implicitRules
Definition

A reference to a set of rules that were followed when the resource was constructed, and which must be understood when processing the content. Often, this is a reference to an implementation guide that defines the special rules along with other profiles etc.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Comments

Asserting this rule set restricts the content to be only understood by a limited set of trading partners. This inherently limits the usefulness of the data in the long term. However, the existing health eco-system is highly fractured, and not yet ready to define, collect, and exchange data in a generally computable sense. Wherever possible, implementers and/or specification writers should avoid using this element. Often, when used, the URL is a reference to an implementation guide that defines these special rules as part of it's narrative along with other profiles, value sets, etc.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
5. Observation.language
Definition

The base language in which the resource is written.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from CommonLanguages A human language
Additional BindingsPurpose
AllLanguagesMax Binding
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summaryfalse
Comments

Language is provided to support indexing and accessibility (typically, services such as text to speech use the language tag). The html language tag in the narrative applies to the narrative. The language tag on the resource may be used to specify the language of other presentations generated from the data in the resource. Not all the content has to be in the base language. The Resource.language should not be assumed to apply to the narrative automatically. If a language is specified, it should it also be specified on the div element in the html (see rules in HTML5 for information about the relationship between xml:lang and the html lang attribute).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
6. Observation.text
Definition

A human-readable narrative that contains a summary of the resource and can be used to represent the content of the resource to a human. The narrative need not encode all the structured data, but is required to contain sufficient detail to make it "clinically safe" for a human to just read the narrative. Resource definitions may define what content should be represented in the narrative to ensure clinical safety.

Control0..1
TypeNarrative
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesnarrative, html, xhtml, display
Comments

Contained resources do not have narrative. Resources that are not contained SHOULD have a narrative. In some cases, a resource may only have text with little or no additional discrete data (as long as all minOccurs=1 elements are satisfied). This may be necessary for data from legacy systems where information is captured as a "text blob" or where text is additionally entered raw or narrated and encoded information is added later.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
7. Observation.contained
Definition

These resources do not have an independent existence apart from the resource that contains them - they cannot be identified independently, and nor can they have their own independent transaction scope.

Control0..*
TypeResource
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesinline resources, anonymous resources, contained resources
Comments

This should never be done when the content can be identified properly, as once identification is lost, it is extremely difficult (and context dependent) to restore it again. Contained resources may have profiles and tags In their meta elements, but SHALL NOT have security labels.

8. Observation.extension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource. 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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
9. Observation.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource and that modifies the understanding of the element that contains it and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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 is allowed to define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
10. Observation.identifier
Definition

A unique identifier assigned to this observation.

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

Allows observations to be distinguished and referenced.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
11. Observation.basedOn
Definition

A plan, proposal or order that is fulfilled in whole or in part by this event. For example, a MedicationRequest may require a patient to have laboratory test performed before it is dispensed.

Control0..*
TypeReference(CarePlan|DeviceRequest|ImmunizationRecommendation|MedicationRequest|NutritionOrder|ServiceRequest)
Summarytrue
Requirements

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

Alternate NamesFulfills
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
12. Observation.partOf
Definition

A larger event of which this particular Observation is a component or step. For example, an observation as part of a procedure.

Control0..*
TypeReference(MedicationAdministration|MedicationDispense|MedicationStatement|Procedure|Immunization|ImagingStudy)
Summarytrue
Alternate NamesContainer
Comments

To link an Observation to an Encounter use encounter. See the Notes below for guidance on referencing another Observation.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
13. Observation.status
Definition

The status of the result value.

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationStatus
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to track the status of individual results. Some results are finalized before the whole report is finalized.

Comments

This element is labeled as a modifier because the status contains codes that mark the resource as not currently valid.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
14. Observation.category
Definition

A code that classifies the general type of observation being made.

Control1..*
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from ObservationCategoryCodes Codes for high level observation categories
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Used for filtering what observations are retrieved and displayed.

Comments

In addition to the required category valueset, this element allows various categorization schemes based on the owner’s definition of the category and effectively multiple categories can be used at once. The level of granularity is defined by the category concepts in the value set.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.category. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ coding.code
  • value @ coding.code,
15. Observation.category:VSCat
SliceNameVSCat
Definition

A code that classifies the general type of observation being made.

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from ObservationCategoryCodes Codes for high level observation categories
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Used for filtering what observations are retrieved and displayed.

Comments

In addition to the required category valueset, this element allows various categorization schemes based on the owner’s definition of the category and effectively multiple categories can be used at once. The level of granularity is defined by the category concepts in the value set.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
16. Observation.category:VSCat.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
17. Observation.category:VSCat.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.category.extension. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ url
18. Observation.category:VSCat.coding
Definition

A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.

Control1..*
TypeCoding
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.

Comments

Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations, or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information. Ordering of codings is undefined and SHALL NOT be used to infer meaning. Generally, at most only one of the coding values will be labeled as UserSelected = true.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
19. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
20. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.category.coding.extension. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ url
21. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.system
Definition

The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.

Control1..1
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.

Comments

The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.

Fixed Valuehttp://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/observation-category
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
22. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.version
Definition

The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.

NoteThis is a business versionId, not a resource version id (see discussion)
Control0..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Comments

Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
23. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.code
Definition

A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).

Control1..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to refer to a particular code in the system.

Fixed Valuevital-signs
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
24. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.display
Definition

A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.

Control0..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
25. Observation.category:VSCat.coding.userSelected
Definition

Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).

Control0..1
Typeboolean
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Requirements

This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.

Comments

Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
26. Observation.category:VSCat.text
Definition

A human language representation of the concept as seen/selected/uttered by the user who entered the data and/or which represents the intended meaning of the user.

Control0..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

The codes from the terminologies do not always capture the correct meaning with all the nuances of the human using them, or sometimes there is no appropriate code at all. In these cases, the text is used to capture the full meaning of the source.

Comments

Very often the text is the same as a displayName of one of the codings.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
27. Observation.code
Definition

Coded Responses from C-CDA Vital Sign Results.

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] code, where the @code SHOULD be selected from ValueSet HITSP Vital Sign Result Type 2.16.840.1.113883.3.88.12.80.62 DYNAMIC (CONF:7301).
Alternate NamesName
Comments

All code-value and, if present, component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="85354-9"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
28. Observation.subject
Definition

The patient, or group of patients, location, or device this observation is about and into whose record the observation is placed. If the actual focus of the observation is different from the subject (or a sample of, part, or region of the subject), the focus element or the code itself specifies the actual focus of the observation.

Control1..1
TypeReference(USCorePatientProfile)
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Observations have no value if you don't know who or what they're about.

Comments

One would expect this element to be a cardinality of 1..1. The only circumstance in which the subject can be missing is when the observation is made by a device that does not know the patient. In this case, the observation SHALL be matched to a patient through some context/channel matching technique, and at this point, the observation should be updated.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
29. Observation.focus
Definition

The actual focus of an observation when it is not the patient of record representing something or someone associated with the patient such as a spouse, parent, fetus, or donor. For example, fetus observations in a mother's record. The focus of an observation could also be an existing condition, an intervention, the subject's diet, another observation of the subject, or a body structure such as tumor or implanted device. An example use case would be using the Observation resource to capture whether the mother is trained to change her child's tracheostomy tube. In this example, the child is the patient of record and the mother is the focus.

Control0..*
TypeReference(Resource)
Obligations
Obligations
??
Standards StatusTrial Use (from Trial Use)
Summarytrue
Comments

Typically, an observation is made about the subject - a patient, or group of patients, location, or device - and the distinction between the subject and what is directly measured for an observation is specified in the observation code itself ( e.g., "Blood Glucose") and does not need to be represented separately using this element. Use specimen if a reference to a specimen is required. If a code is required instead of a resource use either bodysite for bodysites or the standard extension focusCode.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
30. Observation.encounter
Definition

The healthcare event (e.g. a patient and healthcare provider interaction) during which this observation is made.

Control0..1
TypeReference(Encounter)
Summarytrue
Requirements

For some observations it may be important to know the link between an observation and a particular encounter.

Alternate NamesContext
Comments

This will typically be the encounter the event occurred within, but some events may be initiated prior to or after the official completion of an encounter but still be tied to the context of the encounter (e.g. pre-admission laboratory tests).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
31. Observation.effective[x]
Definition

Often just a dateTime for Vital Signs.

Control1..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-1
TypeChoice of: dateTime, Period
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesdateTime
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing when an observation was deemed true is important to its relevance as well as determining trends.

Alternate NamesOccurrence
Comments

At least a date should be present unless this observation is a historical report. For recording imprecise or "fuzzy" times (For example, a blood glucose measurement taken "after breakfast") use the Timing datatype which allow the measurement to be tied to regular life events.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-1: if Observation.effective[x] is dateTime and has a value then that value shall be precise to the day (: ($this as dateTime).toString().length() >= 8)
32. Observation.issued
Definition

The date and time this version of the observation was made available to providers, typically after the results have been reviewed and verified.

Control0..1
Typeinstant
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Comments

For Observations that don’t require review and verification, it may be the same as the lastUpdated time of the resource itself. For Observations that do require review and verification for certain updates, it might not be the same as the lastUpdated time of the resource itself due to a non-clinically significant update that doesn’t require the new version to be reviewed and verified again.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
33. Observation.performer
Definition

Who was responsible for asserting the observed value as "true".

Control0..*
TypeReference(Practitioner|PractitionerRole|Organization|CareTeam|Patient|RelatedPerson)
Summarytrue
Requirements

May give a degree of confidence in the observation and also indicates where follow-up questions should be directed.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
34. Observation.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-7, vs-2
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, CodeableConcept, string, boolean, integer, Range, Ratio, SampledData, time, dateTime, Period
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesQuantity
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).
Comments

An observation may have; 1) a single value here, 2) both a value and a set of related or component values, or 3) only a set of related or component values. If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
35. Observation.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-2
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

Null or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "specimen unsatisfactory".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Note that an observation may only be reported if there are values to report. For example differential cell counts values may be reported only when > 0. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for null or exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
36. Observation.interpretation
Definition

A categorical assessment of an observation value. For example, high, low, normal.

Control0..*
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationInterpretationCodes; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes identifying interpretations of observations
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For some results, particularly numeric results, an interpretation is necessary to fully understand the significance of a result.

Alternate NamesAbnormal Flag
Comments

Historically used for laboratory results (known as 'abnormal flag' ), its use extends to other use cases where coded interpretations are relevant. Often reported as one or more simple compact codes this element is often placed adjacent to the result value in reports and flow sheets to signal the meaning/normalcy status of the result.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
37. Observation.note
Definition

Comments about the observation or the results.

Control0..*
TypeAnnotation
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Need to be able to provide free text additional information.

Comments

May include general statements about the observation, or statements about significant, unexpected or unreliable results values, or information about its source when relevant to its interpretation.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
38. Observation.bodySite
Definition

Indicates the site on the subject's body where the observation was made (i.e. the target site).

Control0..1
BindingFor example codes, see SNOMEDCTBodyStructures Codes describing anatomical locations. May include laterality
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Comments

Only used if not implicit in code found in Observation.code. In many systems, this may be represented as a related observation instead of an inline component.

If the use case requires BodySite to be handled as a separate resource (e.g. to identify and track separately) then use the standard extension bodySite.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
39. Observation.method
Definition

Indicates the mechanism used to perform the observation.

Control0..1
BindingFor example codes, see ObservationMethods Methods for simple observations
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

In some cases, method can impact results and is thus used for determining whether results can be compared or determining significance of results.

Comments

Only used if not implicit in code for Observation.code.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
40. Observation.specimen
Definition

The specimen that was used when this observation was made.

Control0..1
TypeReference(Specimen)
Summaryfalse
Comments

Should only be used if not implicit in code found in Observation.code. Observations are not made on specimens themselves; they are made on a subject, but in many cases by the means of a specimen. Note that although specimens are often involved, they are not always tracked and reported explicitly. Also note that observation resources may be used in contexts that track the specimen explicitly (e.g. Diagnostic Report).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
41. Observation.device
Definition

The device used to generate the observation data.

Control0..1
TypeReference(Device|DeviceMetric)
Summaryfalse
Comments

Note that this is not meant to represent a device involved in the transmission of the result, e.g., a gateway. Such devices may be documented using the Provenance resource where relevant.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
42. Observation.referenceRange
Definition

Guidance on how to interpret the value by comparison to a normal or recommended range. Multiple reference ranges are interpreted as an "OR". In other words, to represent two distinct target populations, two referenceRange elements would be used.

Control0..*
TypeBackboneElement
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Knowing what values are considered "normal" can help evaluate the significance of a particular result. Need to be able to provide multiple reference ranges for different contexts.

Comments

Most observations only have one generic reference range. Systems MAY choose to restrict to only supplying the relevant reference range based on knowledge about the patient (e.g., specific to the patient's age, gender, weight and other factors), but this might not be possible or appropriate. Whenever more than one reference range is supplied, the differences between them SHOULD be provided in the reference range and/or age properties.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
obs-3: Must have at least a low or a high or text (: low.exists() or high.exists() or text.exists())
43. Observation.referenceRange.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
44. Observation.referenceRange.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
45. Observation.referenceRange.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
46. Observation.referenceRange.low
Definition

The value of the low bound of the reference range. The low bound of the reference range endpoint is inclusive of the value (e.g. reference range is >=5 - <=9). If the low bound is omitted, it is assumed to be meaningless (e.g. reference range is <=2.3).

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-3
TypeQuantity(SimpleQuantity)
Summaryfalse
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
47. Observation.referenceRange.high
Definition

The value of the high bound of the reference range. The high bound of the reference range endpoint is inclusive of the value (e.g. reference range is >=5 - <=9). If the high bound is omitted, it is assumed to be meaningless (e.g. reference range is >= 2.3).

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-3
TypeQuantity(SimpleQuantity)
Summaryfalse
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
48. Observation.referenceRange.type
Definition

Codes to indicate the what part of the targeted reference population it applies to. For example, the normal or therapeutic range.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from ObservationReferenceRangeMeaningCodes Code for the meaning of a reference range
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Need to be able to say what kind of reference range this is - normal, recommended, therapeutic, etc., - for proper interpretation.

Comments

This SHOULD be populated if there is more than one range. If this element is not present then the normal range is assumed.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
49. Observation.referenceRange.appliesTo
Definition

Codes to indicate the target population this reference range applies to. For example, a reference range may be based on the normal population or a particular sex or race. Multiple appliesTo are interpreted as an "AND" of the target populations. For example, to represent a target population of African American females, both a code of female and a code for African American would be used.

Control0..*
BindingFor example codes, see ObservationReferenceRangeAppliesToCodes Codes identifying the population the reference range applies to
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Need to be able to identify the target population for proper interpretation.

Comments

This SHOULD be populated if there is more than one range. If this element is not present then the normal population is assumed.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
50. Observation.referenceRange.age
Definition

The age at which this reference range is applicable. This is a neonatal age (e.g. number of weeks at term) if the meaning says so.

Control0..1
TypeRange
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Some analytes vary greatly over age.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
51. Observation.referenceRange.text
Definition

Text based reference range in an observation which may be used when a quantitative range is not appropriate for an observation. An example would be a reference value of "Negative" or a list or table of "normals".

Control0..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summaryfalse
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
52. Observation.hasMember
Definition

Used when reporting vital signs panel components.

Control0..*
TypeReference(QuestionnaireResponse|MolecularSequence|observation-vitalsigns)
Summarytrue
Comments

When using this element, an observation will typically have either a value or a set of related resources, although both may be present in some cases. For a discussion on the ways Observations can assembled in groups together, see Notes below. Note that a system may calculate results from QuestionnaireResponse into a final score and represent the score as an Observation.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
53. Observation.derivedFrom
Definition

The target resource that represents a measurement from which this observation value is derived. For example, a calculated anion gap or a fetal measurement based on an ultrasound image.

Control0..*
TypeReference(DocumentReference|ImagingStudy|Media|QuestionnaireResponse|MolecularSequence|observation-vitalsigns)
Summarytrue
Comments

All the reference choices that are listed in this element can represent clinical observations and other measurements that may be the source for a derived value. The most common reference will be another Observation. For a discussion on the ways Observations can assembled in groups together, see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
54. Observation.component
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Control2..*
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.component. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • pattern @ code
55. Observation.component.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
56. Observation.component.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
57. Observation.component.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
58. Observation.component.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
59. Observation.component.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeChoice of: Quantity, CodeableConcept, string, boolean, integer, Range, Ratio, SampledData, time, dateTime, Period
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Must Support TypesQuantity
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).
Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
60. Observation.component.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
61. Observation.component.interpretation
Definition

A categorical assessment of an observation value. For example, high, low, normal.

Control0..*
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationInterpretationCodes; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes identifying interpretations of observations
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For some results, particularly numeric results, an interpretation is necessary to fully understand the significance of a result.

Alternate NamesAbnormal Flag
Comments

Historically used for laboratory results (known as 'abnormal flag' ), its use extends to other use cases where coded interpretations are relevant. Often reported as one or more simple compact codes this element is often placed adjacent to the result value in reports and flow sheets to signal the meaning/normalcy status of the result.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
62. Observation.component.referenceRange
Definition

Guidance on how to interpret the value by comparison to a normal or recommended range.

Control0..*
TypeSee ttp://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Observation#Observation.referenceRange
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Knowing what values are considered "normal" can help evaluate the significance of a particular result. Need to be able to provide multiple reference ranges for different contexts.

Comments

Most observations only have one generic reference range. Systems MAY choose to restrict to only supplying the relevant reference range based on knowledge about the patient (e.g., specific to the patient's age, gender, weight and other factors), but this might not be possible or appropriate. Whenever more than one reference range is supplied, the differences between them SHOULD be provided in the reference range and/or age properties.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
63. Observation.component:systolic
SliceNamesystolic
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Control1..1
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
64. Observation.component:systolic.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
65. Observation.component:systolic.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
66. Observation.component:systolic.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
67. Observation.component:systolic.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8480-6"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
68. Observation.component:systolic.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeQuantity
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).
Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
69. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
70. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.component.value[x].extension. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ url
71. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].value
Definition

The value of the measured amount. The value includes an implicit precision in the presentation of the value.

Control1..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Precision is handled implicitly in almost all cases of measurement.

Comments

The implicit precision in the value should always be honored. Monetary values have their own rules for handling precision (refer to standard accounting text books).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
72. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].comparator
Definition

How the value should be understood and represented - whether the actual value is greater or less than the stated value due to measurement issues; e.g. if the comparator is "<" , then the real value is < stated value.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from QuantityComparator How the Quantity should be understood and represented
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a framework for handling measures where the value is <5ug/L or >400mg/L due to the limitations of measuring methodology.

Meaning if MissingIf there is no comparator, then there is no modification of the value
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
73. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].unit
Definition

A human-readable form of the unit.

Control1..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

There are many representations for units of measure and in many contexts, particular representations are fixed and required. I.e. mcg for micrograms.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
74. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].system
Definition

The identification of the system that provides the coded form of the unit.

Control1..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: qty-3
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to know the system that defines the coded form of the unit.

Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
75. Observation.component:systolic.value[x].code
Definition

A computer processable form of the unit in some unit representation system.

Control1..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a computable form of the unit that is fixed across all forms. UCUM provides this for quantities, but SNOMED CT provides many units of interest.

Comments

The preferred system is UCUM, but SNOMED CT can also be used (for customary units) or ISO 4217 for currency. The context of use may additionally require a code from a particular system.

Fixed Valuemm[Hg]
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
76. Observation.component:systolic.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
77. Observation.component:systolic.interpretation
Definition

A categorical assessment of an observation value. For example, high, low, normal.

Control0..*
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationInterpretationCodes; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes identifying interpretations of observations
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For some results, particularly numeric results, an interpretation is necessary to fully understand the significance of a result.

Alternate NamesAbnormal Flag
Comments

Historically used for laboratory results (known as 'abnormal flag' ), its use extends to other use cases where coded interpretations are relevant. Often reported as one or more simple compact codes this element is often placed adjacent to the result value in reports and flow sheets to signal the meaning/normalcy status of the result.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
78. Observation.component:systolic.referenceRange
Definition

Guidance on how to interpret the value by comparison to a normal or recommended range.

Control0..*
TypeSee ttp://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Observation#Observation.referenceRange
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Knowing what values are considered "normal" can help evaluate the significance of a particular result. Need to be able to provide multiple reference ranges for different contexts.

Comments

Most observations only have one generic reference range. Systems MAY choose to restrict to only supplying the relevant reference range based on knowledge about the patient (e.g., specific to the patient's age, gender, weight and other factors), but this might not be possible or appropriate. Whenever more than one reference range is supplied, the differences between them SHOULD be provided in the reference range and/or age properties.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
79. Observation.component:diastolic
SliceNamediastolic
Definition

Used when reporting component observation such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Control1..1
TypeBackboneElement
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Component observations share the same attributes in the Observation resource as the primary observation and are always treated a part of a single observation (they are not separable). However, the reference range for the primary observation value is not inherited by the component values and is required when appropriate for each component observation.

Comments

For a discussion on the ways Observations can be assembled in groups together see Notes below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
vs-3: If there is no a value a data absent reason must be present (: value.exists() or dataAbsentReason.exists())
80. Observation.component:diastolic.id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
81. Observation.component:diastolic.extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
82. Observation.component:diastolic.modifierExtension
Definition

May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. 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. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue
Summarytrue
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
83. Observation.component:diastolic.code
Definition

Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "code".

Control1..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from US Core Vital Signs ValueSet; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable The vital sign codes from the base FHIR and US Core Vital Signs
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Knowing what kind of observation is being made is essential to understanding the observation.

Comments

All code-value and component.code-component.value pairs need to be taken into account to correctly understand the meaning of the observation.

Pattern Value<valueCodeableConcept xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <coding>
    <system value="http://loinc.org"/>
    <code value="8462-4"/>
  </coding>
</valueCodeableConcept>
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
84. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x]
Definition

Vital Signs value are typically recorded using the Quantity data type. For supporting observations such as cuff size could use other datatypes such as CodeableConcept.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from VitalSignsUnits; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Common UCUM units for recording Vital Signs
TypeQuantity
[x] NoteSee Choice of Data Types for further information about how to use [x]
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements
  1. SHALL contain exactly one [1..1] value with @xsi:type="PQ" (CONF:7305).
Comments

Used when observation has a set of component observations. An observation may have both a value (e.g. an Apgar score) and component observations (the observations from which the Apgar score was derived). If a value is present, the datatype for this element should be determined by Observation.code. A CodeableConcept with just a text would be used instead of a string if the field was usually coded, or if the type associated with the Observation.code defines a coded value. For additional guidance, see the Notes section below.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
85. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].id
Definition

Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

Control0..1
Typestring
XML RepresentationIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
Summaryfalse
86. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].extension
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.

Control0..*
TypeExtension
Summaryfalse
Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Comments

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.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (: extension.exists() != value.exists())
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on Observation.component.value[x].extension. The slices are unordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ url
87. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].value
Definition

The value of the measured amount. The value includes an implicit precision in the presentation of the value.

Control1..1
Typedecimal
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Precision is handled implicitly in almost all cases of measurement.

Comments

The implicit precision in the value should always be honored. Monetary values have their own rules for handling precision (refer to standard accounting text books).

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
88. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].comparator
Definition

How the value should be understood and represented - whether the actual value is greater or less than the stated value due to measurement issues; e.g. if the comparator is "<" , then the real value is < stated value.

Control0..1
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from QuantityComparator How the Quantity should be understood and represented
Typecode
Is Modifiertrue
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a framework for handling measures where the value is <5ug/L or >400mg/L due to the limitations of measuring methodology.

Meaning if MissingIf there is no comparator, then there is no modification of the value
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
89. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].unit
Definition

A human-readable form of the unit.

Control1..1
Typestring
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

There are many representations for units of measure and in many contexts, particular representations are fixed and required. I.e. mcg for micrograms.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
90. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].system
Definition

The identification of the system that provides the coded form of the unit.

Control1..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: qty-3
Typeuri
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need to know the system that defines the coded form of the unit.

Fixed Valuehttp://unitsofmeasure.org
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
91. Observation.component:diastolic.value[x].code
Definition

A computer processable form of the unit in some unit representation system.

Control1..1
Typecode
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summarytrue
Requirements

Need a computable form of the unit that is fixed across all forms. UCUM provides this for quantities, but SNOMED CT provides many units of interest.

Comments

The preferred system is UCUM, but SNOMED CT can also be used (for customary units) or ISO 4217 for currency. The context of use may additionally require a code from a particular system.

Fixed Valuemm[Hg]
InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
92. Observation.component:diastolic.dataAbsentReason
Definition

Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.component.value[x] is missing.

Control0..1 This element is affected by the following invariants: obs-6, vs-3
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DataAbsentReason; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes specifying why the result (Observation.value[x]) is missing
TypeCodeableConcept
Must Supporttrue
Obligations
Obligations
??
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For many results it is necessary to handle exceptional values in measurements.

Comments

"Null" or exceptional values can be represented two ways in FHIR Observations. One way is to simply include them in the value set and represent the exceptions in the value. For example, measurement values for a serology test could be "detected", "not detected", "inconclusive", or "test not done".

The alternate way is to use the value element for actual observations and use the explicit dataAbsentReason element to record exceptional values. For example, the dataAbsentReason code "error" could be used when the measurement was not completed. Because of these options, use-case agreements are required to interpret general observations for exceptional values.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
93. Observation.component:diastolic.interpretation
Definition

A categorical assessment of an observation value. For example, high, low, normal.

Control0..*
BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from ObservationInterpretationCodes; other codes may be used where these codes are not suitable Codes identifying interpretations of observations
TypeCodeableConcept
Summaryfalse
Requirements

For some results, particularly numeric results, an interpretation is necessary to fully understand the significance of a result.

Alternate NamesAbnormal Flag
Comments

Historically used for laboratory results (known as 'abnormal flag' ), its use extends to other use cases where coded interpretations are relevant. Often reported as one or more simple compact codes this element is often placed adjacent to the result value in reports and flow sheets to signal the meaning/normalcy status of the result.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
94. Observation.component:diastolic.referenceRange
Definition

Guidance on how to interpret the value by comparison to a normal or recommended range.

Control0..*
TypeSee ttp://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Observation#Observation.referenceRange
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Knowing what values are considered "normal" can help evaluate the significance of a particular result. Need to be able to provide multiple reference ranges for different contexts.

Comments

Most observations only have one generic reference range. Systems MAY choose to restrict to only supplying the relevant reference range based on knowledge about the patient (e.g., specific to the patient's age, gender, weight and other factors), but this might not be possible or appropriate. Whenever more than one reference range is supplied, the differences between them SHOULD be provided in the reference range and/or age properties.

InvariantsDefined on this element
ele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (: hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))