# Health Connect Australia Provider Directory FHIR Implementation Guide

26.0.0 - Snapshot Sparked Testing 20260708

Health Connect Australia Provider Directory FHIR Implementation Guide, published by Australian Digital Health Agency. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 26.0.0 built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/AuDigitalHealth/HCPD-Snapshot-26.0.0-SPARKED-Testing-20260708/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

## Batch Request Submission

### Overview

This page describes step 1 of the Asynchronous Bulk Data Export Process Workflow - the 'kick off request' pattern - for requesting Health Connect Provider Directory resources.

Request submissions have four key components:

1. Preconditions
2. Request to server
3. Responses from server
4. Follow-up actions

### Preconditions

The client SHALL ensure that all individual export queries are structured correctly inside of a `Parameters` resource with a corresponding `_typeFilter` for each resource type. This requirement is enforced by invariant `hcpd-exp-1` in the HCPD Export Request Parameters profile.

### Request to server

#### HTTP Method

The request SHALL include specific headers and a Parameters resource in the body.

#### Request headers

- Required: `Prefer: respond-async` - indicates that the server should process the request asynchronously
- Optional: `Accept: application/fhir+json` - specifies the format of the optional `OperationOutcome` response

#### Request body parameters

The batch export request uses a FHIR Parameters resource in the request body to specify export parameters. The Parameters resource SHALL conform to the HCPD Export Request Parameters profile. This profile ensures consistent parameter combinations and proper encoding of multiple `_typeFilter` values.

#### Geographical scope options

The Health Connect Provider Directory supports bulk data extraction with geographical filtering using standard FHIR `_typeFilter` parameters:

- State-based extraction - Filter by state using `_typeFilter=Location?address-state=[STATE]`
- Postcode-based extraction - Filter by postcode using `_typeFilter=Location?address-postalcode=[POSTCODE]`
- National extraction - Complete Australia-wide dataset (no geographical filters)
- Proximity-based extraction - Resources within specified distance using `_typeFilter=Location?near=[LAT]|[LNG]|[DISTANCE]`
- City/suburb filtering - Filter by locality using `_typeFilter=Location?address-city=[CITY]`

Note: Geographical filtering is applied through Location resources, with related resources (Organizations, Practitioners, etc.) included through FHIR relationship traversal.

#### Organisation centric extraction

Bulk extraction focused on retrieving organizational data using standard FHIR identifier searches:

- Organisation identification - Filter organizations using `_typeFilter=Organization?identifier=[SYSTEM]|[VALUE]`:
  - HPI-O: `identifier=http://ns.electronichealth.net.au/id/hi/hpio/1.0|[HPIO]`
  - ABN: `identifier=http://hl7.org.au/id/abn|[ABN]`
  - ACN: `identifier=http://hl7.org.au/id/acn|[ACN]`
- Organisation name filtering - Filter by name using `_typeFilter=Organization?name=[NAME]`
- Complete relationship mapping - Use FHIR `_include` and `_revinclude` parameters to retrieve:
  - Related Locations, HealthcareServices, PractitionerRoles
  - Associated Practitioners and Endpoints

Note: For complete organizational ecosystems, combine organization filtering with appropriate `_include` parameters in subsequent queries.

#### Healthcare service type-centric extraction

Bulk extraction focused on specific healthcare services using standard FHIR service type filtering:

- SNOMED-CT-AU service type filtering - Filter services using `_typeFilter=HealthcareService?service-type=[SYSTEM]|[CODE]`
- Combined filtering approaches - Use multiple `_typeFilter` parameters to combine service types with geographical constraints
- Service ecosystem mapping - Use FHIR `_include` and `_revinclude` parameters to retrieve:
  - Organizations providing the service type
  - Locations where services are delivered
  - PractitionerRoles and Practitioners facilitating the services
  - Endpoints associated with service delivery

##### Supported filtering approaches

Geographical Filtering:

- Use `_typeFilter=Location?address-state=[state]` for state-based filtering
- Use `_typeFilter=Location?address-postalcode=[postcode]` for postcode filtering
- Use `_typeFilter=Location?near=[lat]|[lng]|[distance]` for proximity-based filtering

Organization-Based Filtering:

- Use `_typeFilter=Organization?identifier=[system]|[value]` for organization identifier filtering
- Use `_typeFilter=Organization?name=[name]` for organization name filtering

Service Type Filtering:

- Use `_typeFilter=HealthcareService?type=[code]` for service type filtering

For detailed descriptions of all parameters and their usage, see the HCPD Export Request Parameters profile.

#### Examples

The examples below illustrate how Provider Directory bulk export requests can be constructed using a POST request along with the `_type` and `_typeFilter` parameters.

##### Example 1 - Export all cardiology services in Balmain

Export Provider Directory resources relevant to Cardiology Services in Balmain, including organisations, locations, services, roles and practitioners.

    POST [base_url]/$export
    Content-Type: application/fhir+json
    Prefer: respond-async
    Accept: application/fhir+json

    {
        "resourceType": "Parameters",
        "meta": {
            "profile": ["http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd/StructureDefinition/hcpd-export-request-parameters"]
        },
        "parameter": [
            {
                "name": "_outputFormat",
                "valueString": "application/fhir+ndjson"
            },
            {
                "name": "_type",
                "valueString": "Location,HealthcareService,Organization,PractitionerRole,Practitioner"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Location?address-city=Balmain&address-postalcode=2041&near=-33.8607|151.1803|100"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "HealthcareService?service-type=http://snomed.info/sct|789718008&location.address-city=Balmain&location.address-postalcode=2041"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Organization?_has:HealthcareService:organization:service-type=http://snomed.info/sct|789718008"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "PractitionerRole?location.address-city=Balmain&location.address-postalcode=2041"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Practitioner?_has:PractitionerRole:practitioner:location.address-city=Balmain"
            }
        ]
    }

##### Example 2 - delta export since last retrieval

Export changes since a prior export. The Bulk Data IG defines the `_since` parameter and uses the standard lastUpdated field on resources to find changes.

    POST [base]/$export
    Content-Type: application/fhir+json
    Prefer: respond-async
    Accept: application/fhir+json

    {
        "resourceType": "Parameters",
        "meta": {
            "profile": ["http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd/StructureDefinition/hcpd-export-request-parameters"]
        },
        "parameter": [
            {
                "name": "_outputFormat",
                "valueString": "application/fhir+ndjson"
            },
            {
                "name": "_type",
                "valueString": "Organization,Location,HealthcareService,Practitioner,PractitionerRole,Endpoint,Provenance"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "HealthcareService?service-type=http://snomed.info/sct|789718008&location.address-city=Balmain&location.address-postalcode=2041"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Location?address-city=Balmain&address-postalcode=2041&near=-33.8607|151.1803|100"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Organization?_has:HealthcareService:organization:service-type=http://snomed.info/sct|789718008"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "PractitionerRole?location.address-city=Balmain&location.address-postalcode=2041"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Practitioner?_has:PractitionerRole:practitioner:location.address-city=Balmain"
            },
            {
                "name": "_since",
                "valueInstant": "2025-02-01T00:00:00Z"
            }
        ]
    }

##### Example 3: proximity-based extract

Request for resources within 25km of Parramatta (-33.8136,150.9996):

    POST [base]/$export
    Content-Type: application/fhir+json
    Prefer: respond-async
    Accept: application/fhir+json

    {
        "resourceType": "Parameters",
        "meta": {
            "profile": ["http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd/StructureDefinition/hcpd-export-request-parameters"]
        },
        "parameter": [
            {
                "name": "_outputFormat",
                "valueString": "application/fhir+ndjson"
            },
            {
                "name": "_type",
                "valueString": "Location"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Location?near=-33.8136|150.9996|25"
            }
        ]
    }

##### Example 4: organization-centric extract by HPI-O

Request for organizations matching specific HPI-O identifier:

    POST [base]/$export
    Content-Type: application/fhir+json
    Prefer: respond-async
    Accept: application/fhir+json

    {
        "resourceType": "Parameters",
        "meta": {
            "profile": ["http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd/StructureDefinition/hcpd-export-request-parameters"]
        },
        "parameter": [
            {
                "name": "_outputFormat",
                "valueString": "application/fhir+ndjson"
            },
            {
                "name": "_type",
                "valueString": "Organization"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Organization?identifier=8003626566707032"
            }
        ]
    }

##### Example 5: organization-centric extract by ABN

Request for organizations matching ABN:

    POST [base]/$export
    Content-Type: application/fhir+json
    Prefer: respond-async
    Accept: application/fhir+json

    {
        "resourceType": "Parameters",
        "meta": {
            "profile": ["http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd/StructureDefinition/hcpd-export-request-parameters"]
        },
        "parameter": [
            {
                "name": "_outputFormat",
                "valueString": "application/fhir+ndjson"
            },
            {
                "name": "_type",
                "valueString": "Organization"
            },
            {
                "name": "_typeFilter",
                "valueString": "Organization?identifier=41824753556"
            }
        ]
    }

### Responses from server

#### Success response

The server responds with a `202 Accepted` status code and a `Content-Location` header indicating the absolute URL to poll for status updates, using the unique job ID assigned to the batch request.

Response HTTP header example:

    HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted
    content-location: https://fhir-xrp.digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/$export-poll-status?_jobId=c9b1cfe7-ce25-4269-a07c-76cc6e745fb5

Response HTTP body: absent

### Follow-up actions

Once submitted successfully, there are two possible follow-up actions:

#### Polling for status

Clients can poll the status of the request using the returned `_jobId=[value]`.

For full details, refer to the Batch Request Status page.

#### Deleting a request

Clients can delete a batch request by sending a `DELETE` request to the URL provided in the `Content-Location` header.

For full details, refer to the Batch Request Delete page.