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14.13 Resource EvidenceVariable - Content

Clinical Decision Support icon Work GroupMaturity Level: 1 Trial UseSecurity Category: Business Compartments: No defined compartments

The EvidenceVariable resource describes an element that knowledge (Evidence) is about.

14.13.1 Scope and Usage

This resource is a definition resource from a FHIR workflow perspective - see Workflow, specifically Definition.

The scope of the EvidenceVariable Resource is to describe an element that knowledge (evidence) is about. The EvidenceVariable Resources are expected to be used with Evidence Resources to facilitate searching and knowledge representation.

Evidence may be reported for different types of knowledge. One commonly used format for expression of what evidence is about is the "PICO" format. PICO stands for:

Population - the population within which exposures and outcomes are being considered

Intervention - the conditional state or exposure state being described for which one is expressing the risk of or effect on an outcome

Comparison - the alternative conditional state or alternative exposure state when one is comparing states for the effect on an outcome

Outcome - the result or effect of an intervention or exposure in a population

PICO (and its variants like PECO using E for Exposure or PICOT adding T for Timing) is a universal acronym used in evidence-based medicine communities to clearly express research questions and evidence findings.

The EvidenceVariable Resource allows expression of the components of a PICO question in codeable and reusable formats. The EvidenceVariable.definition element has a CodeableReference datatype which can define the PICO component as a concept and/or reference to a Group Resource.

The EvidenceVariable Resource is also used within ResearchStudy to describe the endpoint for an outcome measure.

14.13.2 Boundaries and Relationships

The Resource describing evidence findings (Evidence) will reference EvidenceVariable to describe what the evidence findings are about.

The Resource describing a research study protocol (ResearchStudy) will reference EvidenceVariable to describe the endpoint for an outcome measure.

14.13.3 References to this Resource

14.13.4 Resource Content

Structure

NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraintsdoco
.. EvidenceVariable TU DomainResource A definition of an exposure, outcome, or other variable
+ Warning: Name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation

Elements defined in Ancestors: id, meta, implicitRules, language, text, contained, extension, modifierExtension
Interfaces Implemented: MetadataResource
... url ΣC 0..1 uri Canonical identifier for this evidence variable, represented as a URI (globally unique)
+ Warning: URL should not contain | or # - these characters make processing canonical references problematic
... identifier Σ 0..* Identifier Additional identifier for the evidence variable

... version Σ 0..1 string Business version of the evidence variable
... versionAlgorithm[x] Σ 0..1 How to compare versions
Binding: Version Algorithm (Extensible)
.... versionAlgorithmString string
.... versionAlgorithmCoding Coding
... name ΣC 0..1 string Name for this evidence variable (computer friendly)
... title Σ 0..1 string Name for this evidence variable (human friendly)
... shortTitle Σ 0..1 string Title for use in informal contexts
... citeAs 0..1 markdown Display of how to cite this EvidenceVariable
... status ?!Σ 1..1 code draft | active | retired | unknown
Binding: PublicationStatus (Required)
... experimental 0..1 boolean For testing only - never for real usage
... date Σ 0..1 dateTime Date last changed
... author 0..* ContactDetail Who authored the content

... publisher Σ 0..1 string Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
... contact Σ 0..* ContactDetail Contact details for the publisher

... recorder 0..* ContactDetail Who entered the data for the evidence variable

... editor 0..* ContactDetail Who edited the content

... reviewer 0..* ContactDetail Who reviewed the content

... endorser 0..* ContactDetail Who endorsed the content

... description Σ 0..1 markdown Natural language description of the evidence variable
... note 0..* Annotation Used for footnotes or explanatory notes

... useContext Σ 0..* UsageContext The context that the content is intended to support

... purpose 0..1 markdown Why this EvidenceVariable is defined
... copyright 0..1 markdown Intellectual property ownership, may include restrictions on use
... copyrightLabel T 0..1 string Copyright holder and year(s)
... approvalDate 0..1 date When the resource was approved by publisher
... lastReviewDate 0..1 date When the resource was last reviewed by the publisher
... effectivePeriod 0..1 Period When the resource is expected to be used
... relatesTo 0..* BackboneElement Relationships to other Resources

.... type 1..1 code documentation | justification | predecessor | successor | derived-from | depends-on | composed-of | part-of | amends | amended-with | appends | appended-with | cites | cited-by | comments-on | comment-in | contains | contained-in | corrects | correction-in | replaces | replaced-with | retracts | retracted-by | signs | similar-to | supports | supported-with | transforms | transformed-into | transformed-with | specification-of | created-with | cite-as | summarizes
Binding: Artifact Relationship Type (Required)
.... target[x] 1..1 The artifact that is related to this EvidenceVariable
..... targetUri uri
..... targetAttachment Attachment
..... targetCanonical canonical(Any)
..... targetReference Reference(Any)
..... targetMarkdown markdown
... actual 0..1 boolean Actual or conceptual
... definition Σ 0..1 CodeableReference(Group) The meaning of the evidence variable
Binding: Evidence Variable Definition (Example)
... definitionModifier 0..* BackboneElement Further specification of the definition

.... code 1..1 CodeableConcept Attribute of the definition
Binding: Evidence Variable Definition Modifier Code (Example)
.... value[x] 1..1 Specification of the definition attribute
..... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
..... valueBoolean boolean
..... valueQuantity Quantity
..... valueRange Range
..... valuePeriod Period
..... valueRelativeTime RelativeTime
..... valueReference Reference(Any)
..... valueExpression Expression
..... valueUri uri
... handling 0..1 code boolean | continuous | dichotomous | ordinal | polychotomous | extension
Binding: Evidence Variable Handling (Required)
... category 0..* BackboneElement A grouping for dichotomous, ordinal, or polychotomouos variables

.... name 0..1 string Description of the grouping
.... value[x] 0..1 Definition of the grouping
..... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
..... valueQuantity Quantity
..... valueRange Range
..... valueReference Reference(Group)
... conditional 0..1 Expression Condition determining whether the data will be collected
... classifier 0..* CodeableConcept Classification
Binding: Evidence Variable Classifier (Example)

... dataStorage 0..* BackboneElement How the data element (value of the variable) is found

.... datatype 0..1 CodeableConcept Type of data used to express value of the variable
Binding: All FHIR Types (Preferred)
.... path 0..1 string Where to find the data element in the dataset
.... delimiter 0..1 string Character(s) separating values in a string-based list
.... component 0..* see dataStorage

... timing 0..1 RelativeTime When the variable is observed
... period 0..1 Period Calendar-based timing when the variable is observed
... constraint 0..* BackboneElement Limit on acceptability of data value

.... conditional 0..1 CodeableConcept Condition determining whether this constraint applies
Binding: AdministrativeGender (Example)
.... minimumQuantity 0..1 Quantity The lowest permissible value of the variable
.... maximumQuantity 0..1 Quantity The highest permissible value of the variable
.... earliestDateTime 0..1 dateTime The earliest permissible value of the variable
.... latestDateTime 0..1 dateTime The latest permissible value of the variable
.... minimumStringLength 0..1 unsignedInt The lowest number of characters allowed for a value of the variable
.... maximumStringLength 0..1 positiveInt The highest number of characters allowed for a value of the variable
.... code 0..1 CodeableConcept Rule for acceptable data values
Binding: Evidence Variable Constraint (Example)
.... expression 0..1 Expression Rule for acceptable data values, as an Expression
.... expectedValueSet 0..1 Reference(ValueSet) List of anticipated values used to express value of the variable
.... expectedUnitsValueSet 0..1 Reference(ValueSet) List of anticipated values used to express units for the value of the variable
.... anyValueAllowed 0..1 boolean Permissibility of unanticipated value used to express value of the variable
... missingDataMeaning 0..* CodeableConcept How missing data can be interpreted
Binding: Data Absent Reason (Example)

... unacceptableDataHandling 0..* CodeableConcept How erroneous data is processed
Binding: Evidence Variable Unacceptable Data Handling (Example)


doco Documentation for this format icon

See the Extensions for this resource

 

Additional definitions: Master Definition XML + JSON, XML Schema/Schematron + JSON Schema, ShEx (for Turtle) , the spreadsheet version & the dependency analysis

14.13.4.1 Terminology Bindings

Path ValueSet Type Documentation
EvidenceVariable.versionAlgorithm[x] VersionAlgorithm Extensible

Indicates the mechanism used to compare versions to determine which is more current.
EvidenceVariable.status PublicationStatus Required

The lifecycle status of an artifact.
EvidenceVariable.relatesTo.type ArtifactRelationshipType Required

Type of relationship to the related artifact.
EvidenceVariable.definition EvidenceVariableDefinition Example

Examples of terms that represent an evidence variable definition.
EvidenceVariable.definitionModifier.code EvidenceVariableDefinitionModifierCode Example

Examples of terms that represent an evidence variable definition modifier code.
EvidenceVariable.handling EvidenceVariableHandling Required

The handling of the variable in statistical analysis for exposures or outcomes (E.g. Dichotomous, Continuous, Descriptive).
EvidenceVariable.classifier EvidenceVariableClassifier Example

Disease, diagnosis, or condition.
EvidenceVariable.dataStorage.datatype FHIRTypes (a valid code from All FHIR Types) Preferred

All FHIR types
EvidenceVariable.constraint.conditional AdministrativeGender Example

The gender of a person used for administrative purposes.
EvidenceVariable.constraint.code EvidenceVariableConstraint Example

A rule, such as a format or other expectation, for the data values.
EvidenceVariable.missingDataMeaning DataAbsentReason Example

Used to specify why the normally expected content of the data element is missing.
EvidenceVariable.unacceptableDataHandling EvidenceVariableUnacceptableDataHandling Example

A method or transformation applied for data that does not match required patterns.

14.13.4.2 Constraints

UniqueKeyLevelLocationDescriptionExpression
img cnl-0Warning (base)Name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generationname.exists() implies name.matches('^[A-Z]([A-Za-z0-9_]){1,254}$')
img cnl-1Warning EvidenceVariable.urlURL should not contain | or # - these characters make processing canonical references problematicexists() implies matches('^[^|# ]+$')

14.13.5 Search Parameters

Search parameters for this resource. See also the full list of search parameters for this resource, and check the Extensions registry for search parameters on extensions related to this resource. The common parameters also apply. See Searching for more information about searching in REST, messaging, and services.

Name Type Description Expression In Common
context token A use context assigned to the evidence variable (EvidenceVariable.useContext.value.ofType(CodeableConcept)) 30 Resources
context-quantity quantity A quantity- or range-valued use context assigned to the evidence variable (EvidenceVariable.useContext.value.ofType(Quantity)) | (EvidenceVariable.useContext.value.ofType(Range)) 30 Resources
context-type token A type of use context assigned to the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.useContext.code 30 Resources
context-type-quantity composite A use context type and quantity- or range-based value assigned to the evidence variable On EvidenceVariable.useContext:
  context-type: code
  context-quantity: value.ofType(Quantity) | value.ofType(Range)		 30 Resources
context-type-value composite A use context type and value assigned to the evidence variable On EvidenceVariable.useContext:
  context-type: code
  context: value.ofType(CodeableConcept)		 30 Resources
date date The evidence variable publication date EvidenceVariable.date 31 Resources
description string The description of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.description 29 Resources
identifier token External identifier for the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.identifier 35 Resources
name string Computationally friendly name of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.name 28 Resources
publisher string Name of the publisher of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.publisher 31 Resources
status token The current status of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.status 35 Resources
title string The human-friendly name of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.title 28 Resources
topic token Topics associated with the EvidenceVariable 10 Resources
url uri The uri that identifies the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.url 34 Resources
version token The business version of the evidence variable EvidenceVariable.version 32 Resources