Resource producers are applications that assembles resources in the first place. Resource producers may be a server, client, sender, receiver or some middleware device, and they may store the resource, or merely hand it on.

Notes: Typically, this means that an application needs to demonstrate during some conformance testing process that there are some conditions under which it populates the element with a correct value

Notes: This implementation obligation means that whenever the producer knows the correct value for an element, it populates it, subject to security, consent and privacy considerations

Notes: When no value for an element is known, the producer populates the element with a DataAbsentReason or a NullFlavor (or equivalent). If no particular reason is known or reportable, the DataAbsentReason 'unknown' is used. Which particular extension can be used, see below

Notes: When no value for an element is known, the producer populates the element with a DataAbsentReason or a NullFlavor (or equivalent). If no particular reason is known or reportable, the DataAbsentReason 'unknown' is used. Which particular extension can be used, see below

Notes: Exactly what form the input takes is not specified, but the expectation is that this is a value that comes from the user, and not implied internally by the application

Notes: Exactly what the data store is not specified, nor how long it is stored for, but it is understand that the same value will be available in later exchanges

Notes: this is really a rule about specifications, implying that another specification (which might be application documentation) either makes this element will-send, or explains how the use cases that involve this element do not arise, or how they are handled. An example: IPA marks Patient.active must-handle and must-explain. Client applications must process Patient.active correctly if they see it, but many (though not all) specifications and/or applications ensure that Patient.active will never be false, and so it will never be populated e.g. MedMij in Netherlands prohibits use of Patient.active, and explains that it is never false.

Resource Consumers are applications that consume resources and do something with them, either displaying them to humans, transferring them to some other format for further re-use, or using them to drive some kind of application logic process AKA decision support. Resource Consumers often store resources, but do not need to, and whether resources are stored or not between receiving them and using them doesn't make any difference to the obligations

Notes: Applications are still able to inform the user that a value cannot be processed correctly, but applications aren't able to reject the information out of hand or ignore the element value in order to process the resource correctly (which would be allowed for elements that do not have this obligation). This obligation also applies to elements that only contain a DataAbsentReason or a NullFlavor (or equivalent), should either of these be allowed on the consumer obligations

Notes: this rule is vague in that doesn't specify any particular handling of the element. But it's important because an application that ignores this element is non-conformant. A good example would be a status code of 'entered-in-error' - how exactly a Resource Consumer handles this depends on the use case etc, but the application can never simply ignore such a status code. Note that whether the resource or information from it is stored for later use is irrelevant - when the resource or information in it is processed, the consequences of the element are considered. That may mean not retaining the information for later use, or informing the user, etc. Typically, this obligation marks that there are known patient safety issues that can arise if the element is ignored. Implementers should pay particular attention to the possible range of values for the element from a safety perspective.

Notes: exactly how it is displayed is not specified, but it means that a human looking at the content of the resource is made aware of the value of the element so that they can consider the meaning of the resource

Notes: this rule applies whether the information is being shared in the form of a FHIR resource, or in some other format. The rule applies whether or not the resource is stored prior to sharing.

Notes: this implies that the IG that specifies this obligation provides details about what processing is to be performed, and the obligation specifially relates to the processing specified in the IG DataAbsentReason or NullFlavor or equivalent when handling the resource or the information in it as specified by the other obligations.

Notes: Exactly what the data store is not specified, nor how long it is stored for, but it is understand that the same value will be available in later exchanges

Notes: The form of the printing is not specified. A profile using this value SHALL explain the nature of the printing requirement somehow

Notes: This is different to can-ignore, which indicates that the application may ignore it. This is an expectation that it will be ignored

Notes: this is an expectation that future references to the value, whether produced or consumed, will be to the exact same data. Alternative or truncated data is not allowed

Notes: this is an expectation that future references to the value, whether produced or consumed, will be to the exact same data. Alternative or truncated data is not allowed