# US Quality Core Encounter - 2026 US Quality Core Implementation Guide v0.5.0

* [**Table of Contents**](toc.md)
* [**Artifacts Summary**](artifacts.md)
* **US Quality Core Encounter**

## Resource Profile: US Quality Core Encounter 

| | |
| :--- | :--- |
| *Official URL*:http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-encounter | *Version*:0.5.0 |
| Active as of 2026-05-15 | *Computable Name*:USQualityCoreEncounter |

 
Profile of Encounter for decision support/quality metrics. Defines the core set of elements and extensions for quality rule and measure authors. 

**Usage**
The following example illustrates accessing an inpatient encounter:

```
define "Ophthalmology Encounter Codes":
  [Encounter: class in "Inpatient Encounter Classes"] InpatientEncounter
    where InpatientEncounter.type in "Ophthalmology Encounter Codes"
```

  See the [patterns](patterns.md) page for implementation and usage patterns.  

### Examples

 

| |
| :--- |
| [Inpatient Admission for Appendicitis](Encounter-example.md) |

 

**USCDI+ Quality Elements:**

* identifier: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Identifier(s) by which this encounter is known
* identifier.system: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The namespace for the identifier value
* identifier.value: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The value that is unique
* status: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) planned | arrived | triaged | in-progress | onleave | finished | cancelled +
* type: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Specific type of encounter
* period: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The start and end time of the encounter
* diagnosis: (USCDI+ Quality) The list of diagnosis relevant to this encounter
* hospitalization: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Details about the admission to a healthcare service
* hospitalization.dischargeDisposition: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Category or kind of location after discharge
* location: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) List of locations where the patient has been
* location.location: (USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Location the encounter takes place

**Usages:**

* Refer to this Profile: [US Quality Core AdverseEvent](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-adverseevent.md), [US Quality Core Claim](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-claim.md), [US Quality Core CommunicationRequest](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-communicationrequest.md), [US Quality Core Condition Encounter Diagnosis](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-condition-encounter-diagnosis.md)... Show 8 more, [US Quality Core DiagnosticReport Profile for Report and Note Exchange](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-diagnosticreport-note.md), [US Quality Core Encounter](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-encounter.md), [US Quality Core ImagingStudy](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-imagingstudy.md), [US Quality Core MedicationAdministration](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-medicationadministration.md), [US Quality Core MedicationAdministration Not Done](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-medicationadministrationnotdone.md), [US Quality Core Medication Not Requested](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-medicationnotrequested.md), [US Quality Core MedicationRequest](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-medicationrequest.md) and [US Quality Core Task Rejected](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-taskrejected.md)
* Examples for this Profile: [Encounter/encounter-ed-example](Encounter-encounter-ed-example.md) and [Encounter/example](Encounter-example.md)
* CapabilityStatements using this Profile: [US Quality Core Client CapabilityStatement](CapabilityStatement-us-quality-core-client.md) and [US Quality Core Server CapabilityStatement](CapabilityStatement-us-quality-core-server.md)

You can also check for [usages in the FHIR IG Statistics](https://packages2.fhir.org/xig/resource/fhir.onc.us-quality-core|current/StructureDefinition/StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-encounter.json)

### Formal Views of Profile Content

 [Description of Profiles, Differentials, Snapshots and how the different presentations work](http://build.fhir.org/ig/FHIR/ig-guidance/readingIgs.html#structure-definitions). 

 

Other representations of profile: [CSV](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-encounter.csv), [Excel](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-encounter.xlsx), [Schematron](StructureDefinition-us-quality-core-encounter.sch) 



## Resource Content

```json
{
  "resourceType" : "StructureDefinition",
  "id" : "us-quality-core-encounter",
  "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-encounter",
  "version" : "0.5.0",
  "name" : "USQualityCoreEncounter",
  "title" : "US Quality Core Encounter",
  "status" : "active",
  "experimental" : false,
  "date" : "2026-05-15",
  "publisher" : "Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)",
  "contact" : [{
    "name" : "Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)",
    "telecom" : [{
      "system" : "url",
      "value" : "https://www.healthit.gov/feedback"
    }]
  }],
  "description" : "Profile of Encounter for decision support/quality metrics. Defines the core set of elements and extensions for quality rule and measure authors.",
  "jurisdiction" : [{
    "coding" : [{
      "system" : "urn:iso:std:iso:3166",
      "code" : "US",
      "display" : "United States of America"
    }],
    "text" : "USA"
  }],
  "fhirVersion" : "4.0.1",
  "mapping" : [{
    "identity" : "workflow",
    "uri" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/workflow",
    "name" : "Workflow Pattern"
  },
  {
    "identity" : "rim",
    "uri" : "http://hl7.org/v3",
    "name" : "RIM Mapping"
  },
  {
    "identity" : "w5",
    "uri" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/fivews",
    "name" : "FiveWs Pattern Mapping"
  },
  {
    "identity" : "v2",
    "uri" : "http://hl7.org/v2",
    "name" : "HL7 v2 Mapping"
  }],
  "kind" : "resource",
  "abstract" : false,
  "type" : "Encounter",
  "baseDefinition" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/us-core-encounter|6.1.0",
  "derivation" : "constraint",
  "differential" : {
    "element" : [{
      "id" : "Encounter",
      "path" : "Encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.identifier",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.identifier",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Identifier(s) by which this encounter is known"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.identifier.system",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.identifier.system",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The namespace for the identifier value"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.identifier.value",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.identifier.value",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The value that is unique"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.status",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.status",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) planned | arrived | triaged | in-progress | onleave | finished | cancelled +"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.class",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.class",
      "short" : "(USCDI) Classification of patient encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.type",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.type",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Specific type of encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.subject",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.subject",
      "short" : "(USCDI) The patient or group present at the encounter",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-patient"]
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.participant",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.participant",
      "short" : "(USCDI) List of participants involved in the encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.participant.individual",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.participant.individual",
      "short" : "(USCDI) Persons involved in the encounter other than the patient",
      "comment" : "Should include us-quality-core-relatedperson as a possible participant, but USCore-Encounter only allows USCore-Practitioner.",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-practitioner",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-practitionerrole",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-relatedperson"]
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.period",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.period",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) The start and end time of the encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.reasonCode",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.reasonCode",
      "short" : "(USCDI) Coded reason the encounter takes place"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.reasonReference",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.reasonReference",
      "short" : "(USCDI) Reason the encounter takes place (reference)",
      "min" : 0,
      "max" : "*",
      "base" : {
        "path" : "Encounter.reasonReference",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "*"
      },
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-condition-problems-health-concerns",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-condition-encounter-diagnosis",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-procedure",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-simple-observation",
        "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-immunizationrecommendation"]
      }],
      "isModifier" : false,
      "isSummary" : true
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.diagnosis",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.diagnosis",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) The list of diagnosis relevant to this encounter"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.diagnosis.use",
      "path" : "Encounter.diagnosis.use",
      "short" : "Role that this diagnosis has within the encounter (e.g. admission, billing, discharge …)"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.diagnosis.rank",
      "path" : "Encounter.diagnosis.rank",
      "short" : "Ranking of the diagnosis (for each role type)"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.hospitalization",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.hospitalization",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Details about the admission to a healthcare service"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.hospitalization.origin",
      "path" : "Encounter.hospitalization.origin",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-location"]
      }],
      "mustSupport" : false
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.hospitalization.destination",
      "path" : "Encounter.hospitalization.destination",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-location"]
      }],
      "mustSupport" : false
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.hospitalization.dischargeDisposition",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.hospitalization.dischargeDisposition",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Category or kind of location after discharge",
      "definition" : "Category or kind of location after discharge.",
      "binding" : {
        "strength" : "extensible",
        "valueSet" : "http://terminology.hl7.org/ValueSet/clinical-discharge-disposition"
      }
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.location",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.location",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) List of locations where the patient has been"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.location.location",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      },
      {
        "url" : "http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/uscdiplusquality",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.location.location",
      "short" : "(USCDI+ Quality) (USCDI) Location the encounter takes place",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-location"]
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.location.period",
      "path" : "Encounter.location.period",
      "short" : "Time period during which the patient was present at the location"
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.serviceProvider",
      "extension" : [{
        "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/us/core/StructureDefinition/uscdi-requirement",
        "valueBoolean" : true
      }],
      "path" : "Encounter.serviceProvider",
      "short" : "(USCDI) The organization (facility) responsible for this encounter",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-organization"]
      }]
    },
    {
      "id" : "Encounter.partOf",
      "path" : "Encounter.partOf",
      "type" : [{
        "code" : "Reference",
        "targetProfile" : ["http://fhir.org/guides/onc/us-quality-core/StructureDefinition/us-quality-core-encounter"]
      }],
      "mustSupport" : false
    }]
  }
}

```
