FHIR Extensions Pack
5.3.0-ballot-tc1 - (September 2025 Ballot) 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-ballot-tc1 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: Medication Characteristic

Official URL: http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/medication-characteristic Version: 5.3.0-ballot-tc1
Standards status: Trial-use Maturity Level: 1 Responsible: HL7 International / Pharmacy Computable Name: MedicationCharacteristic

Provides additional characteristics of a medication, such as physical properties, storage requirements, or other distinguishing attributes. This extension mirrors the pattern of characteristic backbone elements found in other definitional resources, allowing a Medication resource to carry typed key-value pairs that describe observable or defining haracteristics of the medication.

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 Implementation Guide

You can also check for usages in the FHIR IG Statistics

Changes since version 5.2.0:

  • New Content

    • 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

    Complex Extension: Provides additional characteristics of a medication, such as physical properties, storage requirements, or other distinguishing attributes. This extension mirrors the pattern of characteristic backbone elements found in other definitional resources, allowing a Medication resource to carry typed key-value pairs that describe observable or defining haracteristics of the medication.

    • type: CodeableConcept: Identifies which observable or defining characteristic of the medication is being described (for example colour, shape, size, imprint, coating, storage temperature). The characteristic itself is named here; the actual value is carried in the value component of the extension.
    • value: boolean, dateTime, decimal, integer, string, CodeableConcept, Quantity, Ratio: The value corresponding to the characteristic named in type. The chosen datatype should match the characteristic — e.g., CodeableConcept for colour or shape, Quantity for storage temperature or size, string for free-text imprint, Ratio for concentration-like characteristics, or boolean for yes/no characteristics.

    Maturity: 1

    This structure is derived from Extension

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
    .. Extension 0..* Extension A named observable or defining characteristic of the medication
    ... extension 2..* Extension Extension
    ... Slices for extension Content/Rules for all slices
    .... extension:type 1..1 Extension The characteristic (e.g., colour, shape, storage temperature)
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    ..... url 1..1 uri "type"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 CodeableConcept Value of extension
    Binding: MedicationCharacteristicTypeVS (example)
    .... extension:value 1..1 Extension The value of the characteristic
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    ..... url 1..1 uri "value"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 Value of extension
    ...... valueBoolean boolean
    ...... valueDateTime dateTime
    ...... valueDecimal decimal
    ...... valueInteger integer
    ...... valueString string
    ...... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
    ...... valueQuantity Quantity
    ...... valueRatio Ratio
    ... url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/medication-characteristic"

    doco Documentation for this format
    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
    .. Extension 0..* Extension A named observable or defining characteristic of the medication
    ... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ... Slices for extension 2..* Extension Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    .... extension:type 1..1 Extension The characteristic (e.g., colour, shape, storage temperature)
    ..... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    ..... url 1..1 uri "type"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 CodeableConcept Value of extension
    Binding: MedicationCharacteristicTypeVS (example)
    .... extension:value 1..1 Extension The value of the characteristic
    ..... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    ..... url 1..1 uri "value"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 Value of extension
    ...... valueBoolean boolean
    ...... valueDateTime dateTime
    ...... valueDecimal decimal
    ...... valueInteger integer
    ...... valueString string
    ...... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
    ...... valueQuantity Quantity
    ...... valueRatio Ratio
    ... url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/medication-characteristic"

    doco Documentation for this format

    This structure is derived from Extension

    Summary

    Complex Extension: Provides additional characteristics of a medication, such as physical properties, storage requirements, or other distinguishing attributes. This extension mirrors the pattern of characteristic backbone elements found in other definitional resources, allowing a Medication resource to carry typed key-value pairs that describe observable or defining haracteristics of the medication.

    • type: CodeableConcept: Identifies which observable or defining characteristic of the medication is being described (for example colour, shape, size, imprint, coating, storage temperature). The characteristic itself is named here; the actual value is carried in the value component of the extension.
    • value: boolean, dateTime, decimal, integer, string, CodeableConcept, Quantity, Ratio: The value corresponding to the characteristic named in type. The chosen datatype should match the characteristic — e.g., CodeableConcept for colour or shape, Quantity for storage temperature or size, string for free-text imprint, Ratio for concentration-like characteristics, or boolean for yes/no characteristics.

    Maturity: 1

    Differential View

    This structure is derived from Extension

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
    .. Extension 0..* Extension A named observable or defining characteristic of the medication
    ... extension 2..* Extension Extension
    ... Slices for extension Content/Rules for all slices
    .... extension:type 1..1 Extension The characteristic (e.g., colour, shape, storage temperature)
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    ..... url 1..1 uri "type"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 CodeableConcept Value of extension
    Binding: MedicationCharacteristicTypeVS (example)
    .... extension:value 1..1 Extension The value of the characteristic
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    ..... url 1..1 uri "value"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 Value of extension
    ...... valueBoolean boolean
    ...... valueDateTime dateTime
    ...... valueDecimal decimal
    ...... valueInteger integer
    ...... valueString string
    ...... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
    ...... valueQuantity Quantity
    ...... valueRatio Ratio
    ... url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/medication-characteristic"

    doco Documentation for this format

    Snapshot View

    NameFlagsCard.TypeDescription & Constraints    Filter: Filtersdoco
    .. Extension 0..* Extension A named observable or defining characteristic of the medication
    ... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ... Slices for extension 2..* Extension Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    .... extension:type 1..1 Extension The characteristic (e.g., colour, shape, storage temperature)
    ..... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    ..... url 1..1 uri "type"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 CodeableConcept Value of extension
    Binding: MedicationCharacteristicTypeVS (example)
    .... extension:value 1..1 Extension The value of the characteristic
    ..... id 0..1 id Unique id for inter-element referencing
    ..... extension 0..0 Extension
    Slice: Unordered, Open by value:url
    ..... url 1..1 uri "value"
    ..... value[x] 0..1 Value of extension
    ...... valueBoolean boolean
    ...... valueDateTime dateTime
    ...... valueDecimal decimal
    ...... valueInteger integer
    ...... valueString string
    ...... valueCodeableConcept CodeableConcept
    ...... valueQuantity Quantity
    ...... valueRatio Ratio
    ... url 1..1 uri "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/medication-characteristic"

    doco Documentation for this format

     

    Other representations of profile: CSV, Excel, Schematron

    Terminology Bindings

    Path Status Usage ValueSet Version Source
    Extension.extension:type.​value[x] Base example Medication Characteristic Type VS 📦5.3.0-ballot-tc1 This IG

    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 unchanged in R3

    Search Parameters for this Extension

    (none found)