FHIR Extensions Pack
5.3.0 - May 2026 International flag

FHIR Extensions Pack, published by HL7 International / FHIR Infrastructure. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 5.3.0 built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/HL7/fhir-extensions/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Extension: Supporting Evidence Definition

Official URL: http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition Version: 5.3.0
Standards status: Draft Maturity Level: 1 Responsible: HL7 International / Clinical Decision Support Computable Name: SupportingEvidenceDefinition
Other Identifiers: OID:2.16.840.1.113883.4.642.40.97.42.125

Specifies an expression that when evaluated, returns supporting evidence. The expression may be the name of an expression defined in a measure library. If qualified it may be the name of an expression defined in any library referenced by a measure library. The expression is allowed to be a definition, or a function that takes a single argument of the same type as the population basis of the population in which it appears, in the same way that continuous variable measure observations function. The expression may return any type. The name element of the expression is required, and is used to provide a link from the MeasureReport back to the supporting evidence definition. The description element of the expression is optional, but if specified, is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence in the measure report. Note also that the expression-coding extension may be used to provide a code on the expression if desired, and if specified is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence.

This is an draft extension definition; the committee is seeking implementation feedback, and the definition or contents of the extension may change in future versions

Context of Use

This extension may be used on the following element(s)

Usage info

Usages:

  • This Extension is not used by any profiles in this Specification

You can also check for usages in the FHIR IG Statistics

Changes since version 5.3.0:

  • No changes

    • Formal Views of Extension Content

    Description of Profiles, Differentials, Snapshots, and how the XML and JSON presentations work.

    This structure is derived from Extension

    Summary

    Simple Extension with the type Expression: Specifies an expression that when evaluated, returns supporting evidence. The expression may be the name of an expression defined in a measure library. If qualified it may be the name of an expression defined in any library referenced by a measure library. The expression is allowed to be a definition, or a function that takes a single argument of the same type as the population basis of the population in which it appears, in the same way that continuous variable measure observations function. The expression may return any type. The name element of the expression is required, and is used to provide a link from the MeasureReport back to the supporting evidence definition. The description element of the expression is optional, but if specified, is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence in the measure report. Note also that the expression-coding extension may be used to provide a code on the expression if desired, and if specified is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence.

    Maturity: 1

    This structure is derived from Extension

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: doco
    Extension 0..* Extension Supporting evidence
    Extension.url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition"
    Extension.value[x] 1..1 Expression Value of extension

    doco Documentation for this format
    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: doco
    Extension 0..* Extension Supporting evidence
    Extension.id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    Extension.extension 0..* Extension Additional content defined by implementations
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    Extension.url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition"
    Extension.value[x] 1..1 Expression Value of extension

    doco Documentation for this format

    This structure is derived from Extension

    Summary

    Simple Extension with the type Expression: Specifies an expression that when evaluated, returns supporting evidence. The expression may be the name of an expression defined in a measure library. If qualified it may be the name of an expression defined in any library referenced by a measure library. The expression is allowed to be a definition, or a function that takes a single argument of the same type as the population basis of the population in which it appears, in the same way that continuous variable measure observations function. The expression may return any type. The name element of the expression is required, and is used to provide a link from the MeasureReport back to the supporting evidence definition. The description element of the expression is optional, but if specified, is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence in the measure report. Note also that the expression-coding extension may be used to provide a code on the expression if desired, and if specified is expected to be populated in the resulting supporting evidence.

    Maturity: 1

    Differential View

    This structure is derived from Extension

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: doco
    Extension 0..* Extension Supporting evidence
    Extension.url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition"
    Extension.value[x] 1..1 Expression Value of extension

    doco Documentation for this format

    Snapshot View

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: doco
    Extension 0..* Extension Supporting evidence
    Extension.id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    Extension.extension 0..* Extension Additional content defined by implementations
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    Extension.url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition"
    Extension.value[x] 1..1 Expression Value of extension

    doco Documentation for this format

     

    Other representations of profile: CSV, Excel, Schematron

    Constraints

    Id Grade Path(s) Description Expression
    ele-1 error **ALL** elements All FHIR elements must have a @value or children hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count())
    ext-1 error **ALL** extensions Must have either extensions or value[x], not both extension.exists() != value.exists()

    R4B

    The extension is unchanged in R4B

    R4

    The extension is unchanged in R4

    R3

    The extension is represented a little differently in R3:

    • Replace the type Expression with a set of extensions for the content of the type along with the _datatype extension
    Name Flags Card. Type Description & Constraints      Filter: doco
    Extension 0..* Extension Supporting evidence
    Extension. Slices for extension 0 ..* Extension Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:_datatype 1..1 (Complex) DataType name 'Expression' from R5
    URL: http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/_datatype
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:_datatype. value[x] 1.. 1 string Value of extension
    Fixed Value: Expression
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:description 0..1 Extension Natural language description of the condition
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:description. extension 0 .. 0 Extension
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:description. url 1 .. 1 uri "description"
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:description. value[x] 1.. 1 string Value of extension
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:name 0..1 Extension Short name assigned to expression for reuse
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:name. extension 0 .. 0 Extension
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:name. url 1 .. 1 uri "name"
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:name. value[x] 1.. 1 code Value of extension
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:language 0..1 Extension text/cql | text/fhirpath | application/x-fhir-query | etc.
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:language. extension 0 .. 0 Extension
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:language. url 1 .. 1 uri "language"
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:language. value[x] 1.. 1 code Value of extension
    Binding: ExpressionLanguage ( extensible ) : The media type of the expression language.
    Additional Bindings Purpose
    MimeTypes Max Binding
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:expression 0..1 Extension Expression in specified language
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:expression. extension 0 .. 0 Extension
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:expression. url 1 .. 1 uri "expression"
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:expression. value[x] 1.. 1 string Value of extension
    Extension.Slices for extension. extension:reference 0..1 Extension Where the expression is found
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:reference. extension 0 .. 0 Extension
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:reference. url 1 .. 1 uri "reference"
    Extension.Slices for extension.extension:reference. value[x] 1.. 1 uri Value of extension
    Extension. url 1 .. 1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/cqf-supportingEvidenceDefinition"
    Extension. value[x] 0 .. 0 Value of extension

    doco Documentation for this format

    Search Parameters for this Extension

    (none found)