# Health Connect Australia Provider Directory FHIR Implementation Guide

26.0.0 - Trial

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/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

## Change Log

This change log documents the significant updates and resolutions implemented from version 0.1.0 of this IG to present.

### Release 26.0.0 (initial release)

- Publication date: 2026-04-29
- Publication status: Trial
- Based on FHIR version: 4.0.1

#### Changes in this version

- Inserted HL7 FHIR Community process approved specification logo.
- Migrated New Patient Availability CodeSystem and ValueSet to NCTS hosted terminology (https://www.healthterminologies.gov.au/integration/R4/fhir/CodeSystem/new-patient-availability-1 and https://www.healthterminologies.gov.au/integration/R4/fhir/ValueSet/new-patient-availability-1) instead of local definitions.
- Incremented to initial release versioning 26.0.0 and active statuses for resources.
- Removed `HC Endpoint Identifier` in favour of using `HCPD Local Identifier`
- Changed SearchParameter `hcepi` to work with the Local Identifier `XX` type.
- Removed the constraint identifier.type equals to `NOI` from HCPD-HSPO identifier dataType profile.
- Updates last cases of HC to HCPD for better alignment with IG and Agency publishing framework.
- Adds a known issue explanation for use of AU PD `current` IG versioning.
- Declares FHIRPath v2.0.0 as a dependency.
- Adds guidance on the appropriate use of endpoints 39
- Changed the narrative guidance for HealthcareService.Location reference 46
- Added HCPD Export Request Parameters and Export Response List profiles for bulk data extraction.
- Enhanced bulk data extraction documentation with profile references and examples.
- Updated Health Connect Provider Directory Responder capability statement to include List resource support for HCPD Export Response List profile.
- Added system-level export operation to Responder capability statement for bulk data export functionality with HCPD Export Response List integration.
- Enhanced bulk export architecture with specialised `Health Connect Provider Directory Bulk Export Requester` actor that handles Parameters resource submission and List resource processing for suppression compliance.
- Added Extensibility statement to scope.
- Removed the Suppression extension, associated CodeSystem, ValueSet, and all narrative references.
- Added guidance on data removal procedures via PCA in the Security and Privacy section.
- Remove the IAR CodeSystem and ValueSet from being defined internally and referenced the NCTS.
- Adds further detail to the scope statement regarding intended audience for downstream users of the IG 47
- Migrates the Known Issues to became a tab under Support in alignment with Agency publishing requirements.
- Removes the PCA-HSI extension as redundant do the existence of the HCPD Source Identifier.

### Release 0.3.0 (Snapshot 3)

- Publication date: 2026-03-02
- Publication status: Preview
- Based on FHIR version: 4.0.1

#### Changes in this version

- Added guidance on Bulk Data Extraction IG v3.0.0
- Changed the url pattern from `http://ns.electronichealth.net.au/hc` to `http://digitalhealth.gov.au/fhir/hcpd`
- Prepare extensions to be used in Agency common components FHIR IG.
- Added an Experimental Dependency section to Guidance.
- No longer internally defines the ValueSet or CodeSystem for PayloadType on Endpoint but rather points to AU PD's implementation.
- No longer internally defines the ValueSet or CodeSystem for ServiceInterfaces on Endpoint but rather points to AU PD's implementation.
- Added dependency of AU Provider Directory IG v2.1.0
- Changed SearchParameters to become non-experimental.
- Removed bundle batch search guidance. No longer recommended for synchronous 'standard' searching.
- Reformat the Guidance section to place SearchParameter related material entirely under it's own section.
- Added Security and Privacy tab.
- Added more detailed definitions to the IAR CodeSystem.
- Reprofile the new patient availability extension from Boolean to CodeableConcept to align with NHSD and PCA 42
- Define NCTS profile types on terminology artefacts.
- Add the Contact Purpose extension on HealthcareService.telecom 43
- Add the extension `hcpd-suppressed` describe the guidance and apply to profiles: Practitioner, PractitionerRole and Organization.
- Removed genderIdentity extension, value set, search parameter guidance, examples, and narrative.
- Add identifier profile hcpd-LI for internal system use.
- Change namespaces on extensions to allow later re-factor into a Common Components IG.
- removed constraints for Organization.alias and Organization.address:postal

### Release 0.2.0 (Snapshot 2)

- Publication date: 2026-01-16
- Publication status: Preview
- Based on FHIR version: 4.0.1

#### Changes in this version

- Fixed typos.
- Change diagram to be more consistent with UML practices.
- Removed narrative irrelevant to Requester actor from provenance profile about connecting systems.
- Include guidance on Endpoint.status being ignored.
- Include guidance on future vs current Endpoint type support. #29
- Change cardinalities on PractitionerRole.Endpoint, Location.Endpoint & HealthcareService.Endpoint from 0..1 -> 0..*. #12
- The fixed value for `HSP-O Identifier.type.coding.code` has been changed from `http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/v2-0203` code `XX` to `http://terminology.hl7.org.au/CodeSystem/v2-0203` code `NOI`, aligning with other AU Base national organisation identifiers such as HPI-I and PAI-O. #8
- The short description and definition of Practitioner.qualification changed to "Professional registration details of the practitioner".
- Removed case sensitive element from hcpd-iar-levels-of-care code system definition. #15
- Change cardinality on Endpoint.identifier from 2..* -> 1..*.
- Correct the numbering of navigation tabs. #5
- Created a new Health Connect Provider Directory Responder actor and capability statement that is responsible for providing responses to queries submitted by Health Connect Provider Directory Requester actors.
- Correct the constraint so that it works correctly warning that both HSPO and HPIO cannot be applied to an Organization.
- Remove `prn` search parameter and revert to standard identifier search on PractitionerRole with updated guidance.
- Add R5-style `identifier search for Practitioner (identifier-r5) supporting both Practitioner.identifier and Practitioner.qualification.identifier.
- Update PractitionerRole and HealthcareService examples to include TimeZone. #14
- Add guidance about ignoring PractitionerRole.speciality.
- Modification to license attribution. #16
- Renamed Health Connect Reader actor to Health Connect Provider Directory Requester actor #17
- Renamed Health Connect Reader capability statement to Health Connect Provider Directory Requester capability statement. #17
- Add Must Support Obligations on both client and server actors. #20
- Improve Must Support guidance. #18
- Restructure example title names.
- Update the guidance for SearchParameters. #22
- Improve the conformance statement.
- Add Location-physicalType SearchParameter.
- Remove Health Connect from references to IAR.
- Update to correctly apply SHOULD or SHALL strength to Resource Conformance in Actor Capability Statements.
- Add warning constraint to Professional Registration Number Identifier (PRN) so that either system or assigner should be present.
- Improve the 2nd Practitioner example so that both Qualifications render properly in html output and use example systems for professional boards.
- Change the uri for ProfessionalRegistrationNumber to lowercase for consistency.
- The following CodeSystems and ValueSets now are abstracted to the NCTS to minimize redundancy: Service Eligibility CS & VS, Facility Amenity CS & VS, Service Delivery Location Role Type VS.
- Remove the custom name SearchParameters for Practitioner and revert to R4 name SearchParameter. #24
- Provide better guidance on the operation of the `rsg` SearchParameter.
- Add Must Support and Obligations to data element Location.position. #28
- Describe use of `near` SearchParameter in Location notes.
- Add guidance section on bulk syndication.
- Add location example that uses physicalType to better delineate between: Mobile, Virtual and Physical Location instance use cases.
- Tidy up to invariants on Location profile.
- Fix type of postal to extension `Preferred Postal Address`.
- Add section to SearchParameters markdown describing recommended modifier usage. #23
- Add second Organization example with HSP-O identifier.
- Declare support for more modifiers in SearchParameters. #23
- Change name of `postaladdress` SearchParameter to `locmailaddress` for clarity.
- Update `hcepi` and `prn` search parameters from string to token type for built-in exact matching without requiring modifiers.
- Add proximity search sorting guidance with `_sort=near` parameter for closest-first ordering of Location results.
- Updated `starttime` and `endtime` SearchParameters to support numeric prefix operators (ge, gt, le, lt, ne) for time-based searches. Changed to #number type for both. Time values are internally converted to HHMM integers to allow for prefix use. Limitations described.
- Update guidance for best use of `prn` search parameter.
- Rename slice professionalregistrationnumber to peakbodyregistrationnumber to add clarity about use case.
- Give clearer guidance on client Requester actor having no requirements to implement any particular SearchParameters. #36
- Add `agent.role` and `agent.type` data elements to existing Provenance examples.
- Add further description about what Provenance SearchParameters are supported.
- Add guidance on the use of `:iterate` as a modifier on `_include` and `_revinclude`.
- Changed the Data Model Overview Diagram Endpoint Cardinality from 0..1 to 0..*. #37
- Removed the `roletype` SearchParameter in favour of using R4 defined `role`.

- Changed the `languages` SearchParameter to operate as token, i.e. system | code usage.

### Release 0.1.0 (Snapshot 1)

- Publication date: 2025-11-19
- Publication status: Preview
- Based on FHIR version: 4.0.1

#### Changes in this version

- Initial foundation for Community Consultation.