Mobile access to Health Documents (MHD)
4.2.3-current - ci-build International flag

Mobile access to Health Documents (MHD), published by IHE IT Infrastructure Technical Committee. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 4.2.3-current built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/IHE/ITI.MHD/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Resource Profile: ComprehensiveDocumentReference - Detailed Descriptions

Active as of 2024-07-15

Definitions for the IHE.MHD.Comprehensive.DocumentReference resource profile.

Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here

0. DocumentReference
2. DocumentReference.author
TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization, Device, Patient, RelatedPerson)contained
4. DocumentReference.authenticator
TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization)contained
6. DocumentReference.context
8. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo
TypeReference(Patient)contained

Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here

0. DocumentReference
Definition

A reference to a document of any kind for any purpose. Provides metadata about the document so that the document can be discovered and managed. The scope of a document is any seralized object with a mime-type, so includes formal patient centric documents (CDA), cliical notes, scanned paper, and non-patient specific documents like policy text.

ShortA reference to a document
Comments

Usually, this is used for documents other than those defined by FHIR.

Control0..*
Is Modifierfalse
Summaryfalse
Invariantsdom-2: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT contain nested Resources (contained.contained.empty())
dom-3: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL be referred to from elsewhere in the resource or SHALL refer to the containing resource (contained.where((('#'+id in (%resource.descendants().reference | %resource.descendants().as(canonical) | %resource.descendants().as(uri) | %resource.descendants().as(url))) or descendants().where(reference = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists()).not()).trace('unmatched', id).empty())
dom-4: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a meta.versionId or a meta.lastUpdated (contained.meta.versionId.empty() and contained.meta.lastUpdated.empty())
dom-5: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a security label (contained.meta.security.empty())
dom-6: A resource should have narrative for robust management (text.`div`.exists())
2. DocumentReference.implicitRules
Definition

A reference to a set of rules that were followed when the resource was constructed, and which must be understood when processing the content. Often, this is a reference to an implementation guide that defines the special rules along with other profiles etc.

ShortA set of rules under which this content was created
Comments

Asserting this rule set restricts the content to be only understood by a limited set of trading partners. This inherently limits the usefulness of the data in the long term. However, the existing health eco-system is highly fractured, and not yet ready to define, collect, and exchange data in a generally computable sense. Wherever possible, implementers and/or specification writers should avoid using this element. Often, when used, the URL is a reference to an implementation guide that defines these special rules as part of it's narrative along with other profiles, value sets, etc.

Control0..1
Typeuri
Is Modifiertrue because This element is labeled as a modifier because the implicit rules may provide additional knowledge about the resource that modifies it's meaning or interpretation
Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
Summarytrue
Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
4. DocumentReference.modifierExtension
Definition

An Extension


May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource and that modifies the understanding of the element that contains it and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer is allowed to define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

ShortExtensionExtensions that cannot be ignored
Comments

There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

Control0..0*
TypeExtension
Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the resource that contains them
Summaryfalse
Requirements

Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

Alternate Namesextensions, user content
Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
6. DocumentReference.masterIdentifier
Definition

An identifier - identifies some entity uniquely and unambiguously. Typically this is used for business identifiers.


Document identifier as assigned by the source of the document. This identifier is specific to this version of the document. This unique identifier may be used elsewhere to identify this version of the document.

ShortAn identifier intended for computationMaster Version Specific Identifier
Comments

CDA Document Id extension and root.

Control10..1
This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
TypeIdentifier(uniqueId Identifier)
Is Modifierfalse
Requirements

The structure and format of this Id shall be consistent with the specification corresponding to the formatCode attribute. (e.g. for a DICOM standard document a 64-character numeric UID, for an HL7 CDA format a serialization of the CDA Document Id extension and root in the form "oid^extension", where OID is a 64 digits max, and the Id is a 16 UTF-8 char max. If the OID is coded without the extension then the '^' character shall not be included.).

Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
8. DocumentReference.identifier
Definition

Other identifiers associated with the document, including version independent identifiers.

ShortOther identifiers for the document
NoteThis is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
Control0..*
TypeIdentifier
Is Modifierfalse
Must Supporttrue
Summarytrue
Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.identifier. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ use
  • 10. DocumentReference.identifier:entryUUID
    Slice NameentryUUID
    Definition

    An identifier - identifies some entity uniquely and unambiguously. Typically this is used for business identifiers.


    Other identifiers associated with the document, including version independent identifiers.

    ShortAn identifier intended for computationOther identifiers for the document
    NoteThis is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
    Control0..*
    This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
    TypeIdentifier(entryUUID Identifier)
    Is Modifierfalse
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    12. DocumentReference.status
    Definition

    The status of this document reference.

    Shortcurrent | superseded | entered-in-error
    Comments

    This is the status of the DocumentReference object, which might be independent from the docStatus element.

    This element is labeled as a modifier because the status contains the codes that mark the document or reference as not currently valid.

    Control1..1
    BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from MHD DocumentReference status codeshttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-reference-status|4.0.1
    (required to https://profiles.ihe.net/ITI/MHD/ValueSet/DocumentReferenceStats)
    Typecode
    Is Modifiertrue because This element is labelled as a modifier because it is a status element that contains status entered-in-error which means that the resource should not be treated as valid
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    14. DocumentReference.docStatus
    Definition

    The status of the underlying document.

    Shortpreliminary | final | amended | entered-in-error
    Comments

    The document that is pointed to might be in various lifecycle states.

    Control0..01
    BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from CompositionStatushttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/composition-status|4.0.1
    (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/composition-status|4.0.1)

    Status of the underlying document.

    Typecode
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    16. DocumentReference.type
    Definition

    Specifies the particular kind of document referenced (e.g. History and Physical, Discharge Summary, Progress Note). This usually equates to the purpose of making the document referenced.

    ShortKind of document (LOINC if possible)
    Comments

    Key metadata element describing the document that describes he exact type of document. Helps humans to assess whether the document is of interest when viewing a list of documents.

    Control10..1
    BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from DocumentTypeValueSethttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-doc-typecodes
    (preferred to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-doc-typecodes)

    Precise type of clinical document.

    TypeCodeableConcept
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    18. DocumentReference.category
    Definition

    A categorization for the type of document referenced - helps for indexing and searching. This may be implied by or derived from the code specified in the DocumentReference.type.

    ShortCategorization of document
    Comments

    Key metadata element describing the the category or classification of the document. This is a broader perspective that groups similar documents based on how they would be used. This is a primary key used in searching.

    Control10..1*
    BindingFor example codes, see DocumentClassValueSethttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-classcodes
    (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-classcodes)

    High-level kind of a clinical document at a macro level.

    TypeCodeableConcept
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Alternate Namesclaxs
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    20. DocumentReference.subject
    Definition

    Who or what the document is about. The document can be about a person, (patient or healthcare practitioner), a device (e.g. a machine) or even a group of subjects (such as a document about a herd of farm animals, or a set of patients that share a common exposure).

    ShortWho/what is the subject of the document
    Control10..1
    TypeReference(Patient, Practitioner, Group, Device)
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    22. DocumentReference.date
    Definition

    When the document reference was created.

    ShortWhen this document reference was created
    Comments

    Referencing/indexing time is used for tracking, organizing versions and searching.

    Control0..1
    Typeinstant
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Alternate Namesindexed
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    24. DocumentReference.author
    Definition

    Identifies who is responsible for adding the information to the document.

    ShortWho and/or what authored the document
    Comments

    Not necessarily who did the actual data entry (i.e. typist) or who was the source (informant).

    Control0..*
    TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization, Device, Patient, RelatedPerson)contained
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Must Support TypesNo must-support rules about the choice of types/profiles
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    26. DocumentReference.authenticator
    Definition

    Which person or organization authenticates that this document is valid.

    ShortWho/what authenticated the document
    Comments

    Represents a participant within the author institution who has legally authenticated or attested the document. Legal authentication implies that a document has been signed manually or electronically by the legal Authenticator.

    Control0..1
    TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization)contained
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summaryfalse
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    28. DocumentReference.relatesTo
    Definition

    Relationships that this document has with other document references that already exist.

    ShortRelationships to other documents
    Comments

    This element is labeled as a modifier because documents that append to other documents are incomplete on their own.

    Control0..*
    TypeBackboneElement
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    30. DocumentReference.relatesTo.modifierExtension
    Definition

    May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

    Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

    ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
    Comments

    There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

    Control0..*
    TypeExtension
    Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

    Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
    32. DocumentReference.relatesTo.code
    Definition

    The type of relationship that this document has with anther document.

    Shortreplaces | transforms | signs | appends
    Comments

    If this document appends another document, then the document cannot be fully understood without also accessing the referenced document.

    Control1..1
    BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DocumentRelationshipTypehttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-relationship-type|4.0.1
    (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-relationship-type|4.0.1)

    The type of relationship between documents.

    Typecode
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    34. DocumentReference.relatesTo.target
    Definition

    The target document of this relationship.

    ShortTarget of the relationship
    Control1..1
    TypeReference(DocumentReference)
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    36. DocumentReference.securityLabel
    Definition

    A set of Security-Tag codes specifying the level of privacy/security of the Document. Note that DocumentReference.meta.security contains the security labels of the "reference" to the document, while DocumentReference.securityLabel contains a snapshot of the security labels on the document the reference refers to.

    ShortDocument security-tags
    Comments

    The confidentiality codes can carry multiple vocabulary items. HL7 has developed an understanding of security and privacy tags that might be desirable in a Document Sharing environment, called HL7 Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification System (HCS). The following specification is recommended but not mandated, as the vocabulary bindings are an administrative domain responsibility. The use of this method is up to the policy domain such as the XDS Affinity Domain or other Trust Domain where all parties including sender and recipients are trusted to appropriately tag and enforce.

    In the HL7 Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification (HCS) there are code systems specific to Confidentiality, Sensitivity, Integrity, and Handling Caveats. Some values would come from a local vocabulary as they are related to workflow roles and special projects.

    Control10..*
    BindingUnless not suitable, these codes SHALL be taken from All Security Labelshttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/security-labels
    (extensible to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/security-labels)

    Security Labels from the Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification System.

    TypeCodeableConcept
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Use of the Health Care Privacy/Security Classification (HCS) system of security-tag use is recommended.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    38. DocumentReference.content
    Definition

    The document and format referenced.


    The document and format referenced. There may be multiple content element repetitions, each with a different format.

    ShortDocument referenced
    Control1..1*
    TypeBackboneElement
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    40. DocumentReference.content.modifierExtension
    Definition

    May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

    Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

    ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
    Comments

    There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

    Control0..*
    TypeExtension
    Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

    Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
    42. DocumentReference.content.attachment
    Definition

    The document or URL of the document along with critical metadata to prove content has integrity.

    ShortWhere to access the document
    Control1..1
    TypeAttachment
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    44. DocumentReference.content.attachment.contentType
    Definition

    Identifies the type of the data in the attachment and allows a method to be chosen to interpret or render the data. Includes mime type parameters such as charset where appropriate.

    ShortMime type of the content, with charset etc.
    Control10..1
    BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from Mime Typeshttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/mimetypes|4.0.1
    (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/mimetypes|4.0.1)

    The mime type of an attachment. Any valid mime type is allowed.

    Typecode
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Processors of the data need to be able to know how to interpret the data.

    Example<br/><b>General</b>:text/plain; charset=UTF-8, image/png
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    46. DocumentReference.content.attachment.language
    Definition

    The human language of the content. The value can be any valid value according to BCP 47.

    ShortHuman language of the content (BCP-47)
    Control10..1
    BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from CommonLanguageshttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/languages
    (preferred to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/languages)

    A human language.

    Additional BindingsPurpose
    AllLanguagesMax Binding
    Typecode
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Users need to be able to choose between the languages in a set of attachments.

    Example<br/><b>General</b>:en-AU
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    48. DocumentReference.content.attachment.data
    Definition

    The actual data of the attachment - a sequence of bytes, base64 encoded.

    ShortData inline, base64ed
    Comments

    The base64-encoded data SHALL be expressed in the same character set as the base resource XML or JSON.

    Control0..01
    Typebase64Binary
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summaryfalse
    Requirements

    The data needs to able to be transmitted inline.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    50. DocumentReference.content.attachment.url
    Definition

    A location where the data can be accessed.

    ShortUri where the data can be found
    Comments

    If both data and url are provided, the url SHALL point to the same content as the data contains. Urls may be relative references or may reference transient locations such as a wrapping envelope using cid: though this has ramifications for using signatures. Relative URLs are interpreted relative to the service url, like a resource reference, rather than relative to the resource itself. If a URL is provided, it SHALL resolve to actual data.

    Control10..1
    Typeurl
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    The data needs to be transmitted by reference.

    Example<br/><b>General</b>:http://www.acme.com/logo-small.png
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    52. DocumentReference.content.attachment.creation
    Definition

    The date that the attachment was first created.

    ShortDate attachment was first created
    Control10..1
    TypedateTime
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    This is often tracked as an integrity issue for use of the attachment.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    54. DocumentReference.content.format
    Definition

    An identifier of the document encoding, structure, and template that the document conforms to beyond the base format indicated in the mimeType.

    ShortFormat/content rules for the document
    Comments

    Note that while IHE mostly issues URNs for format types, not all documents can be identified by a URI.

    Control10..1
    BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from IHE ValueSet of Format Codes for use with Document Sharinghttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/formatcodes
    (preferred to http://ihe.net/fhir/ihe.formatcode.fhir/ValueSet/formatcode)
    TypeCoding
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    56. DocumentReference.context
    Definition

    The clinical context in which the document was prepared.

    ShortClinical context of document
    Comments

    These values are primarily added to help with searching for interesting/relevant documents.

    Control10..1
    TypeBackboneElement
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    58. DocumentReference.context.modifierExtension
    Definition

    May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

    Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

    ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
    Comments

    There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

    Control0..*
    TypeExtension
    Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

    Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
    60. DocumentReference.context.period
    Definition

    The time period over which the service that is described by the document was provided.

    ShortTime of service that is being documented
    Control0..1
    TypePeriod
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    62. DocumentReference.context.facilityType
    Definition

    The kind of facility where the patient was seen.

    ShortKind of facility where patient was seen
    Control10..1
    BindingFor example codes, see FacilityTypeCodeValueSethttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-facilitycodes
    (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-facilitycodes)

    XDS Facility Type.

    TypeCodeableConcept
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summaryfalse
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    64. DocumentReference.context.practiceSetting
    Definition

    This property may convey specifics about the practice setting where the content was created, often reflecting the clinical specialty.

    ShortAdditional details about where the content was created (e.g. clinical specialty)
    Comments

    This element should be based on a coarse classification system for the class of specialty practice. Recommend the use of the classification system for Practice Setting, such as that described by the Subject Matter Domain in LOINC.

    Control10..1
    BindingFor example codes, see PracticeSettingCodeValueSethttp://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-practice-codes
    (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-practice-codes)

    Additional details about where the content was created (e.g. clinical specialty).

    TypeCodeableConcept
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summaryfalse
    Requirements

    This is an important piece of metadata that providers often rely upon to quickly sort and/or filter out to find specific content.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    66. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo
    Definition

    The Patient Information as known when the document was published. May be a reference to a version specific, or contained.

    ShortPatient demographics from source
    Control10..1
    TypeReference(Patient)contained
    Is Modifierfalse
    Must Supporttrue
    Summaryfalse
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))

    Guidance on how to interpret the contents of this table can be found here

    0. DocumentReference
    Definition

    A reference to a document of any kind for any purpose. Provides metadata about the document so that the document can be discovered and managed. The scope of a document is any seralized object with a mime-type, so includes formal patient centric documents (CDA), cliical notes, scanned paper, and non-patient specific documents like policy text.

    ShortA reference to a document
    Comments

    Usually, this is used for documents other than those defined by FHIR.

    Control0..*
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summaryfalse
    Invariantsdom-2: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT contain nested Resources (contained.contained.empty())
    dom-3: If the resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL be referred to from elsewhere in the resource or SHALL refer to the containing resource (contained.where((('#'+id in (%resource.descendants().reference | %resource.descendants().as(canonical) | %resource.descendants().as(uri) | %resource.descendants().as(url))) or descendants().where(reference = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists() or descendants().where(as(canonical) = '#').exists()).not()).trace('unmatched', id).empty())
    dom-4: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a meta.versionId or a meta.lastUpdated (contained.meta.versionId.empty() and contained.meta.lastUpdated.empty())
    dom-5: If a resource is contained in another resource, it SHALL NOT have a security label (contained.meta.security.empty())
    dom-6: A resource should have narrative for robust management (text.`div`.exists())
    2. DocumentReference.id
    Definition

    The logical id of the resource, as used in the URL for the resource. Once assigned, this value never changes.

    ShortLogical id of this artifact
    Comments

    The only time that a resource does not have an id is when it is being submitted to the server using a create operation.

    Control0..1
    Typeid
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    4. DocumentReference.meta
    Definition

    The metadata about the resource. This is content that is maintained by the infrastructure. Changes to the content might not always be associated with version changes to the resource.

    ShortMetadata about the resource
    Control0..1
    TypeMeta
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summarytrue
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    6. DocumentReference.meta.id
    Definition

    Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

    ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
    Control0..1
    Typestring
    Is Modifierfalse
    XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
    Summaryfalse
    8. DocumentReference.meta.extension
    Definition

    May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

    ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
    Comments

    There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

    Control0..*
    TypeExtension
    Is Modifierfalse
    Summaryfalse
    Alternate Namesextensions, user content
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
    SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.meta.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
    • value @ url
    • 10. DocumentReference.meta.versionId
      Definition

      The version specific identifier, as it appears in the version portion of the URL. This value changes when the resource is created, updated, or deleted.

      ShortVersion specific identifier
      Comments

      The server assigns this value, and ignores what the client specifies, except in the case that the server is imposing version integrity on updates/deletes.

      Control0..1
      Typeid
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      12. DocumentReference.meta.lastUpdated
      Definition

      When the resource last changed - e.g. when the version changed.

      ShortWhen the resource version last changed
      Comments

      This value is always populated except when the resource is first being created. The server / resource manager sets this value; what a client provides is irrelevant. This is equivalent to the HTTP Last-Modified and SHOULD have the same value on a read interaction.

      Control0..1
      Typeinstant
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      14. DocumentReference.meta.source
      Definition

      A uri that identifies the source system of the resource. This provides a minimal amount of Provenance information that can be used to track or differentiate the source of information in the resource. The source may identify another FHIR server, document, message, database, etc.

      ShortIdentifies where the resource comes from
      Comments

      In the provenance resource, this corresponds to Provenance.entity.what[x]. The exact use of the source (and the implied Provenance.entity.role) is left to implementer discretion. Only one nominated source is allowed; for additional provenance details, a full Provenance resource should be used.

      This element can be used to indicate where the current master source of a resource that has a canonical URL if the resource is no longer hosted at the canonical URL.

      Control0..1
      Typeuri
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      16. DocumentReference.meta.profile
      Definition

      A list of profiles (references to StructureDefinition resources) that this resource claims to conform to. The URL is a reference to StructureDefinition.url.

      ShortProfiles this resource claims to conform to
      Comments

      It is up to the server and/or other infrastructure of policy to determine whether/how these claims are verified and/or updated over time. The list of profile URLs is a set.

      Control0..*
      Typecanonical(StructureDefinition)
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      18. DocumentReference.meta.security
      Definition

      Security labels applied to this resource. These tags connect specific resources to the overall security policy and infrastructure.

      ShortSecurity Labels applied to this resource
      Comments

      The security labels can be updated without changing the stated version of the resource. The list of security labels is a set. Uniqueness is based the system/code, and version and display are ignored.

      Control0..*
      BindingUnless not suitable, these codes SHALL be taken from All Security Labels
      (extensible to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/security-labels)

      Security Labels from the Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification System.

      TypeCoding
      Is Modifierfalse
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      20. DocumentReference.meta.tag
      Definition

      Tags applied to this resource. Tags are intended to be used to identify and relate resources to process and workflow, and applications are not required to consider the tags when interpreting the meaning of a resource.

      ShortTags applied to this resource
      Comments

      The tags can be updated without changing the stated version of the resource. The list of tags is a set. Uniqueness is based the system/code, and version and display are ignored.

      Control0..*
      BindingFor example codes, see CommonTags
      (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/common-tags)

      Codes that represent various types of tags, commonly workflow-related; e.g. "Needs review by Dr. Jones".

      TypeCoding
      Is Modifierfalse
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      22. DocumentReference.implicitRules
      Definition

      A reference to a set of rules that were followed when the resource was constructed, and which must be understood when processing the content. Often, this is a reference to an implementation guide that defines the special rules along with other profiles etc.

      ShortA set of rules under which this content was created
      Comments

      Asserting this rule set restricts the content to be only understood by a limited set of trading partners. This inherently limits the usefulness of the data in the long term. However, the existing health eco-system is highly fractured, and not yet ready to define, collect, and exchange data in a generally computable sense. Wherever possible, implementers and/or specification writers should avoid using this element. Often, when used, the URL is a reference to an implementation guide that defines these special rules as part of it's narrative along with other profiles, value sets, etc.

      Control0..1
      Typeuri
      Is Modifiertrue because This element is labeled as a modifier because the implicit rules may provide additional knowledge about the resource that modifies it's meaning or interpretation
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      24. DocumentReference.language
      Definition

      The base language in which the resource is written.

      ShortLanguage of the resource content
      Comments

      Language is provided to support indexing and accessibility (typically, services such as text to speech use the language tag). The html language tag in the narrative applies to the narrative. The language tag on the resource may be used to specify the language of other presentations generated from the data in the resource. Not all the content has to be in the base language. The Resource.language should not be assumed to apply to the narrative automatically. If a language is specified, it should it also be specified on the div element in the html (see rules in HTML5 for information about the relationship between xml:lang and the html lang attribute).

      Control0..1
      BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from CommonLanguages
      (preferred to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/languages)

      A human language.

      Additional BindingsPurpose
      AllLanguagesMax Binding
      Typecode
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summaryfalse
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      26. DocumentReference.text
      Definition

      A human-readable narrative that contains a summary of the resource and can be used to represent the content of the resource to a human. The narrative need not encode all the structured data, but is required to contain sufficient detail to make it "clinically safe" for a human to just read the narrative. Resource definitions may define what content should be represented in the narrative to ensure clinical safety.

      ShortText summary of the resource, for human interpretation
      Comments

      Contained resources do not have narrative. Resources that are not contained SHOULD have a narrative. In some cases, a resource may only have text with little or no additional discrete data (as long as all minOccurs=1 elements are satisfied). This may be necessary for data from legacy systems where information is captured as a "text blob" or where text is additionally entered raw or narrated and encoded information is added later.

      Control0..1
      TypeNarrative
      Is Modifierfalse
      Summaryfalse
      Alternate Namesnarrative, html, xhtml, display
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      28. DocumentReference.contained
      Definition

      These resources do not have an independent existence apart from the resource that contains them - they cannot be identified independently, and nor can they have their own independent transaction scope.

      ShortContained, inline Resources
      Comments

      This should never be done when the content can be identified properly, as once identification is lost, it is extremely difficult (and context dependent) to restore it again. Contained resources may have profiles and tags In their meta elements, but SHALL NOT have security labels.

      Control0..*
      TypeResource
      Is Modifierfalse
      Summaryfalse
      Alternate Namesinline resources, anonymous resources, contained resources
      30. DocumentReference.extension
      Definition

      May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

      ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
      Comments

      There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

      Control0..*
      TypeExtension
      Is Modifierfalse
      Summaryfalse
      Alternate Namesextensions, user content
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
      32. DocumentReference.modifierExtension
      Definition

      An Extension

      ShortExtension
      Control0..0
      TypeExtension
      Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the resource that contains them
      Summaryfalse
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
      34. DocumentReference.masterIdentifier
      Definition

      An identifier - identifies some entity uniquely and unambiguously. Typically this is used for business identifiers.

      ShortAn identifier intended for computation
      Comments

      CDA Document Id extension and root.

      Control1..1
      This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
      TypeIdentifier(uniqueId Identifier)
      Is Modifierfalse
      Requirements

      The structure and format of this Id shall be consistent with the specification corresponding to the formatCode attribute. (e.g. for a DICOM standard document a 64-character numeric UID, for an HL7 CDA format a serialization of the CDA Document Id extension and root in the form "oid^extension", where OID is a 64 digits max, and the Id is a 16 UTF-8 char max. If the OID is coded without the extension then the '^' character shall not be included.).

      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      36. DocumentReference.identifier
      Definition

      Other identifiers associated with the document, including version independent identifiers.

      ShortOther identifiers for the document
      NoteThis is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
      Control0..*
      TypeIdentifier
      Is Modifierfalse
      Must Supporttrue
      Summarytrue
      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.identifier. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
      • value @ use
      • 38. DocumentReference.identifier:entryUUID
        Slice NameentryUUID
        Definition

        An identifier - identifies some entity uniquely and unambiguously. Typically this is used for business identifiers.

        ShortAn identifier intended for computation
        NoteThis is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
        Control0..*
        This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
        TypeIdentifier(entryUUID Identifier)
        Is Modifierfalse
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        40. DocumentReference.status
        Definition

        The status of this document reference.

        Shortcurrent | superseded | entered-in-error
        Comments

        This is the status of the DocumentReference object, which might be independent from the docStatus element.

        This element is labeled as a modifier because the status contains the codes that mark the document or reference as not currently valid.

        Control1..1
        BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from MHD DocumentReference status codes
        (required to https://profiles.ihe.net/ITI/MHD/ValueSet/DocumentReferenceStats)
        Typecode
        Is Modifiertrue because This element is labelled as a modifier because it is a status element that contains status entered-in-error which means that the resource should not be treated as valid
        Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        42. DocumentReference.docStatus
        Definition

        The status of the underlying document.

        Shortpreliminary | final | amended | entered-in-error
        Comments

        The document that is pointed to might be in various lifecycle states.

        Control0..0
        BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from CompositionStatus
        (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/composition-status|4.0.1)

        Status of the underlying document.

        Typecode
        Is Modifierfalse
        Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        44. DocumentReference.type
        Definition

        Specifies the particular kind of document referenced (e.g. History and Physical, Discharge Summary, Progress Note). This usually equates to the purpose of making the document referenced.

        ShortKind of document (LOINC if possible)
        Comments

        Key metadata element describing the document that describes he exact type of document. Helps humans to assess whether the document is of interest when viewing a list of documents.

        Control1..1
        BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from DocumentTypeValueSet
        (preferred to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-doc-typecodes)

        Precise type of clinical document.

        TypeCodeableConcept
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        46. DocumentReference.category
        Definition

        A categorization for the type of document referenced - helps for indexing and searching. This may be implied by or derived from the code specified in the DocumentReference.type.

        ShortCategorization of document
        Comments

        Key metadata element describing the the category or classification of the document. This is a broader perspective that groups similar documents based on how they would be used. This is a primary key used in searching.

        Control1..1
        BindingFor example codes, see DocumentClassValueSet
        (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-classcodes)

        High-level kind of a clinical document at a macro level.

        TypeCodeableConcept
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Alternate Namesclaxs
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        48. DocumentReference.subject
        Definition

        Who or what the document is about. The document can be about a person, (patient or healthcare practitioner), a device (e.g. a machine) or even a group of subjects (such as a document about a herd of farm animals, or a set of patients that share a common exposure).

        ShortWho/what is the subject of the document
        Control1..1
        TypeReference(Patient)
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        50. DocumentReference.date
        Definition

        When the document reference was created.

        ShortWhen this document reference was created
        Comments

        Referencing/indexing time is used for tracking, organizing versions and searching.

        Control0..1
        Typeinstant
        Is Modifierfalse
        Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Alternate Namesindexed
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        52. DocumentReference.author
        Definition

        Identifies who is responsible for adding the information to the document.

        ShortWho and/or what authored the document
        Comments

        Not necessarily who did the actual data entry (i.e. typist) or who was the source (informant).

        Control0..*
        TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization, Device, Patient, RelatedPerson)contained
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Must Support TypesNo must-support rules about the choice of types/profiles
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        54. DocumentReference.authenticator
        Definition

        Which person or organization authenticates that this document is valid.

        ShortWho/what authenticated the document
        Comments

        Represents a participant within the author institution who has legally authenticated or attested the document. Legal authentication implies that a document has been signed manually or electronically by the legal Authenticator.

        Control0..1
        TypeReference(Practitioner, PractitionerRole, Organization)contained
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summaryfalse
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        56. DocumentReference.custodian
        Definition

        Identifies the organization or group who is responsible for ongoing maintenance of and access to the document.

        ShortOrganization which maintains the document
        Comments

        Identifies the logical organization (software system, vendor, or department) to go to find the current version, where to report issues, etc. This is different from the physical location (URL, disk drive, or server) of the document, which is the technical location of the document, which host may be delegated to the management of some other organization.

        Control0..1
        TypeReference(Organization)
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summaryfalse
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        58. DocumentReference.relatesTo
        Definition

        Relationships that this document has with other document references that already exist.

        ShortRelationships to other documents
        Comments

        This element is labeled as a modifier because documents that append to other documents are incomplete on their own.

        Control0..*
        TypeBackboneElement
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        60. DocumentReference.relatesTo.id
        Definition

        Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

        ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
        Control0..1
        Typestring
        Is Modifierfalse
        XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
        Summaryfalse
        62. DocumentReference.relatesTo.extension
        Definition

        May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

        ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
        Comments

        There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

        Control0..*
        TypeExtension
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summaryfalse
        Alternate Namesextensions, user content
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
        64. DocumentReference.relatesTo.modifierExtension
        Definition

        May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

        Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

        ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
        Comments

        There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

        Control0..*
        TypeExtension
        Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
        Summarytrue
        Requirements

        Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

        Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
        66. DocumentReference.relatesTo.code
        Definition

        The type of relationship that this document has with anther document.

        Shortreplaces | transforms | signs | appends
        Comments

        If this document appends another document, then the document cannot be fully understood without also accessing the referenced document.

        Control1..1
        BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from DocumentRelationshipType
        (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/document-relationship-type|4.0.1)

        The type of relationship between documents.

        Typecode
        Is Modifierfalse
        Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        68. DocumentReference.relatesTo.target
        Definition

        The target document of this relationship.

        ShortTarget of the relationship
        Control1..1
        TypeReference(DocumentReference)
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        70. DocumentReference.description
        Definition

        Human-readable description of the source document.

        ShortHuman-readable description
        Comments

        What the document is about, a terse summary of the document.

        Control0..1
        Typestring
        Is Modifierfalse
        Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
        Summarytrue
        Requirements

        Helps humans to assess whether the document is of interest.

        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        72. DocumentReference.securityLabel
        Definition

        A set of Security-Tag codes specifying the level of privacy/security of the Document. Note that DocumentReference.meta.security contains the security labels of the "reference" to the document, while DocumentReference.securityLabel contains a snapshot of the security labels on the document the reference refers to.

        ShortDocument security-tags
        Comments

        The confidentiality codes can carry multiple vocabulary items. HL7 has developed an understanding of security and privacy tags that might be desirable in a Document Sharing environment, called HL7 Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification System (HCS). The following specification is recommended but not mandated, as the vocabulary bindings are an administrative domain responsibility. The use of this method is up to the policy domain such as the XDS Affinity Domain or other Trust Domain where all parties including sender and recipients are trusted to appropriately tag and enforce.

        In the HL7 Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification (HCS) there are code systems specific to Confidentiality, Sensitivity, Integrity, and Handling Caveats. Some values would come from a local vocabulary as they are related to workflow roles and special projects.

        Control1..*
        BindingUnless not suitable, these codes SHALL be taken from All Security Labels
        (extensible to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/security-labels)

        Security Labels from the Healthcare Privacy and Security Classification System.

        TypeCodeableConcept
        Is Modifierfalse
        Must Supporttrue
        Summarytrue
        Requirements

        Use of the Health Care Privacy/Security Classification (HCS) system of security-tag use is recommended.

        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        74. DocumentReference.content
        Definition

        The document and format referenced.

        ShortDocument referenced
        Control1..1
        TypeBackboneElement
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        76. DocumentReference.content.id
        Definition

        Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

        ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
        Control0..1
        Typestring
        Is Modifierfalse
        XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
        Summaryfalse
        78. DocumentReference.content.extension
        Definition

        May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

        ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
        Comments

        There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

        Control0..*
        TypeExtension
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summaryfalse
        Alternate Namesextensions, user content
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
        80. DocumentReference.content.modifierExtension
        Definition

        May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

        Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

        ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
        Comments

        There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

        Control0..*
        TypeExtension
        Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
        Summarytrue
        Requirements

        Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

        Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
        82. DocumentReference.content.attachment
        Definition

        The document or URL of the document along with critical metadata to prove content has integrity.

        ShortWhere to access the document
        Control1..1
        TypeAttachment
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summarytrue
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        84. DocumentReference.content.attachment.id
        Definition

        Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

        ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
        Control0..1
        Typestring
        Is Modifierfalse
        XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
        Summaryfalse
        86. DocumentReference.content.attachment.extension
        Definition

        May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

        ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
        Comments

        There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

        Control0..*
        TypeExtension
        Is Modifierfalse
        Summaryfalse
        Alternate Namesextensions, user content
        Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
        ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
        SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.content.attachment.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
        • value @ url
        • 88. DocumentReference.content.attachment.contentType
          Definition

          Identifies the type of the data in the attachment and allows a method to be chosen to interpret or render the data. Includes mime type parameters such as charset where appropriate.

          ShortMime type of the content, with charset etc.
          Control1..1
          BindingThe codes SHALL be taken from Mime Types
          (required to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/mimetypes|4.0.1)

          The mime type of an attachment. Any valid mime type is allowed.

          Typecode
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Processors of the data need to be able to know how to interpret the data.

          Example<br/><b>General</b>:text/plain; charset=UTF-8, image/png
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          90. DocumentReference.content.attachment.language
          Definition

          The human language of the content. The value can be any valid value according to BCP 47.

          ShortHuman language of the content (BCP-47)
          Control1..1
          BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from CommonLanguages
          (preferred to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/languages)

          A human language.

          Additional BindingsPurpose
          AllLanguagesMax Binding
          Typecode
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Must Supporttrue
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Users need to be able to choose between the languages in a set of attachments.

          Example<br/><b>General</b>:en-AU
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          92. DocumentReference.content.attachment.data
          Definition

          The actual data of the attachment - a sequence of bytes, base64 encoded.

          ShortData inline, base64ed
          Comments

          The base64-encoded data SHALL be expressed in the same character set as the base resource XML or JSON.

          Control0..0
          Typebase64Binary
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summaryfalse
          Requirements

          The data needs to able to be transmitted inline.

          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          94. DocumentReference.content.attachment.url
          Definition

          A location where the data can be accessed.

          ShortUri where the data can be found
          Comments

          If both data and url are provided, the url SHALL point to the same content as the data contains. Urls may be relative references or may reference transient locations such as a wrapping envelope using cid: though this has ramifications for using signatures. Relative URLs are interpreted relative to the service url, like a resource reference, rather than relative to the resource itself. If a URL is provided, it SHALL resolve to actual data.

          Control1..1
          Typeurl
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          The data needs to be transmitted by reference.

          Example<br/><b>General</b>:http://www.acme.com/logo-small.png
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          96. DocumentReference.content.attachment.size
          Definition

          The number of bytes of data that make up this attachment (before base64 encoding, if that is done).

          ShortNumber of bytes of content (if url provided)
          Comments

          The number of bytes is redundant if the data is provided as a base64binary, but is useful if the data is provided as a url reference.

          Control0..1
          TypeunsignedInt
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Representing the size allows applications to determine whether they should fetch the content automatically in advance, or refuse to fetch it at all.

          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          98. DocumentReference.content.attachment.hash
          Definition

          The calculated hash of the data using SHA-1. Represented using base64.

          ShortHash of the data (sha-1, base64ed)
          Comments

          The hash is calculated on the data prior to base64 encoding, if the data is based64 encoded. The hash is not intended to support digital signatures. Where protection against malicious threats a digital signature should be considered, see Provenance.signature for mechanism to protect a resource with a digital signature.

          Control0..1
          Typebase64Binary
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Included so that applications can verify that the contents of a location have not changed due to technical failures (e.g., storage rot, transport glitch, incorrect version).

          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          100. DocumentReference.content.attachment.title
          Definition

          A label or set of text to display in place of the data.

          ShortLabel to display in place of the data
          Control0..1
          Typestring
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Applications need a label to display to a human user in place of the actual data if the data cannot be rendered or perceived by the viewer.

          Example<br/><b>General</b>:Official Corporate Logo
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          102. DocumentReference.content.attachment.creation
          Definition

          The date that the attachment was first created.

          ShortDate attachment was first created
          Control1..1
          TypedateTime
          Is Modifierfalse
          Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
          Must Supporttrue
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          This is often tracked as an integrity issue for use of the attachment.

          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          104. DocumentReference.content.format
          Definition

          An identifier of the document encoding, structure, and template that the document conforms to beyond the base format indicated in the mimeType.

          ShortFormat/content rules for the document
          Comments

          Note that while IHE mostly issues URNs for format types, not all documents can be identified by a URI.

          Control1..1
          BindingThe codes SHOULD be taken from IHE ValueSet of Format Codes for use with Document Sharing
          (preferred to http://ihe.net/fhir/ihe.formatcode.fhir/ValueSet/formatcode)
          TypeCoding
          Is Modifierfalse
          Must Supporttrue
          Summarytrue
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          106. DocumentReference.context
          Definition

          The clinical context in which the document was prepared.

          ShortClinical context of document
          Comments

          These values are primarily added to help with searching for interesting/relevant documents.

          Control1..1
          TypeBackboneElement
          Is Modifierfalse
          Summarytrue
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          108. DocumentReference.context.id
          Definition

          Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

          ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
          Control0..1
          Typestring
          Is Modifierfalse
          XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
          Summaryfalse
          110. DocumentReference.context.extension
          Definition

          May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

          ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
          Comments

          There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

          Control0..*
          TypeExtension
          Is Modifierfalse
          Summaryfalse
          Alternate Namesextensions, user content
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
          112. DocumentReference.context.modifierExtension
          Definition

          May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions.

          Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself).

          ShortExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
          Comments

          There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

          Control0..*
          TypeExtension
          Is Modifiertrue because Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
          Summarytrue
          Requirements

          Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions.

          Alternate Namesextensions, user content, modifiers
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
          114. DocumentReference.context.encounter
          Definition

          Describes the clinical encounter or type of care that the document content is associated with.

          ShortContext of the document content
          Control0..*
          TypeReference(Encounter, EpisodeOfCare)
          Is Modifierfalse
          Summaryfalse
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          116. DocumentReference.context.event
          Definition

          This list of codes represents the main clinical acts, such as a colonoscopy or an appendectomy, being documented. In some cases, the event is inherent in the type Code, such as a "History and Physical Report" in which the procedure being documented is necessarily a "History and Physical" act.

          ShortMain clinical acts documented
          Comments

          An event can further specialize the act inherent in the type, such as where it is simply "Procedure Report" and the procedure was a "colonoscopy". If one or more event codes are included, they shall not conflict with the values inherent in the class or type elements as such a conflict would create an ambiguous situation.

          Control0..*
          BindingFor example codes, see v3 Code System ActCode
          (example to http://terminology.hl7.org/ValueSet/v3-ActCode)

          This list of codes represents the main clinical acts being documented.

          TypeCodeableConcept
          Is Modifierfalse
          Summaryfalse
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          118. DocumentReference.context.period
          Definition

          The time period over which the service that is described by the document was provided.

          ShortTime of service that is being documented
          Control0..1
          TypePeriod
          Is Modifierfalse
          Must Supporttrue
          Summarytrue
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          120. DocumentReference.context.period.id
          Definition

          Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

          ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
          Control0..1
          Typestring
          Is Modifierfalse
          XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
          Summaryfalse
          122. DocumentReference.context.period.extension
          Definition

          May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

          ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
          Comments

          There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

          Control0..*
          TypeExtension
          Is Modifierfalse
          Summaryfalse
          Alternate Namesextensions, user content
          Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
          ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
          SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.context.period.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
          • value @ url
          • 124. DocumentReference.context.period.start
            Definition

            The start of the period. The boundary is inclusive.

            ShortStarting time with inclusive boundary
            Comments

            If the low element is missing, the meaning is that the low boundary is not known.

            Control0..1
            This element is affected by the following invariants: per-1
            TypedateTime
            Is Modifierfalse
            Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
            Summarytrue
            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            126. DocumentReference.context.period.end
            Definition

            The end of the period. If the end of the period is missing, it means no end was known or planned at the time the instance was created. The start may be in the past, and the end date in the future, which means that period is expected/planned to end at that time.

            ShortEnd time with inclusive boundary, if not ongoing
            Comments

            The high value includes any matching date/time. i.e. 2012-02-03T10:00:00 is in a period that has an end value of 2012-02-03.

            Control0..1
            This element is affected by the following invariants: per-1
            TypedateTime
            Is Modifierfalse
            Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
            Summarytrue
            Meaning if MissingIf the end of the period is missing, it means that the period is ongoing
            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            128. DocumentReference.context.facilityType
            Definition

            The kind of facility where the patient was seen.

            ShortKind of facility where patient was seen
            Control1..1
            BindingFor example codes, see FacilityTypeCodeValueSet
            (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-facilitycodes)

            XDS Facility Type.

            TypeCodeableConcept
            Is Modifierfalse
            Must Supporttrue
            Summaryfalse
            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            130. DocumentReference.context.practiceSetting
            Definition

            This property may convey specifics about the practice setting where the content was created, often reflecting the clinical specialty.

            ShortAdditional details about where the content was created (e.g. clinical specialty)
            Comments

            This element should be based on a coarse classification system for the class of specialty practice. Recommend the use of the classification system for Practice Setting, such as that described by the Subject Matter Domain in LOINC.

            Control1..1
            BindingFor example codes, see PracticeSettingCodeValueSet
            (example to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/c80-practice-codes)

            Additional details about where the content was created (e.g. clinical specialty).

            TypeCodeableConcept
            Is Modifierfalse
            Must Supporttrue
            Summaryfalse
            Requirements

            This is an important piece of metadata that providers often rely upon to quickly sort and/or filter out to find specific content.

            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            132. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo
            Definition

            The Patient Information as known when the document was published. May be a reference to a version specific, or contained.

            ShortPatient demographics from source
            Control1..1
            TypeReference(Patient)contained
            Is Modifierfalse
            Must Supporttrue
            Summaryfalse
            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            134. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.id
            Definition

            Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.

            ShortUnique id for inter-element referencing
            Control0..1
            Typestring
            Is Modifierfalse
            XML FormatIn the XML format, this property is represented as an attribute.
            Summaryfalse
            136. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.extension
            Definition

            May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension.

            ShortAdditional content defined by implementations
            Comments

            There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.

            Control0..*
            TypeExtension
            Is Modifierfalse
            Summaryfalse
            Alternate Namesextensions, user content
            Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
            ext-1: Must have either extensions or value[x], not both (extension.exists() != value.exists())
            SlicingThis element introduces a set of slices on DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
            • value @ url
            • 138. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.reference
              Definition

              A reference to a location at which the other resource is found. The reference may be a relative reference, in which case it is relative to the service base URL, or an absolute URL that resolves to the location where the resource is found. The reference may be version specific or not. If the reference is not to a FHIR RESTful server, then it should be assumed to be version specific. Internal fragment references (start with '#') refer to contained resources.

              ShortLiteral reference, Relative, internal or absolute URL
              Comments

              Using absolute URLs provides a stable scalable approach suitable for a cloud/web context, while using relative/logical references provides a flexible approach suitable for use when trading across closed eco-system boundaries. Absolute URLs do not need to point to a FHIR RESTful server, though this is the preferred approach. If the URL conforms to the structure "/[type]/[id]" then it should be assumed that the reference is to a FHIR RESTful server.

              Control0..1
              This element is affected by the following invariants: ref-1
              Typestring
              Is Modifierfalse
              Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
              Summarytrue
              Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
              140. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.type
              Definition

              The expected type of the target of the reference. If both Reference.type and Reference.reference are populated and Reference.reference is a FHIR URL, both SHALL be consistent.

              The type is the Canonical URL of Resource Definition that is the type this reference refers to. References are URLs that are relative to http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/ e.g. "Patient" is a reference to http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Patient. Absolute URLs are only allowed for logical models (and can only be used in references in logical models, not resources).

              ShortType the reference refers to (e.g. "Patient")
              Comments

              This element is used to indicate the type of the target of the reference. This may be used which ever of the other elements are populated (or not). In some cases, the type of the target may be determined by inspection of the reference (e.g. a RESTful URL) or by resolving the target of the reference; if both the type and a reference is provided, the reference SHALL resolve to a resource of the same type as that specified.

              Control0..1
              BindingUnless not suitable, these codes SHALL be taken from ResourceType
              (extensible to http://hl7.org/fhir/ValueSet/resource-types)

              Aa resource (or, for logical models, the URI of the logical model).

              Typeuri
              Is Modifierfalse
              Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
              Summarytrue
              Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
              142. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.identifier
              Definition

              An identifier for the target resource. This is used when there is no way to reference the other resource directly, either because the entity it represents is not available through a FHIR server, or because there is no way for the author of the resource to convert a known identifier to an actual location. There is no requirement that a Reference.identifier point to something that is actually exposed as a FHIR instance, but it SHALL point to a business concept that would be expected to be exposed as a FHIR instance, and that instance would need to be of a FHIR resource type allowed by the reference.

              ShortLogical reference, when literal reference is not known
              Comments

              When an identifier is provided in place of a reference, any system processing the reference will only be able to resolve the identifier to a reference if it understands the business context in which the identifier is used. Sometimes this is global (e.g. a national identifier) but often it is not. For this reason, none of the useful mechanisms described for working with references (e.g. chaining, includes) are possible, nor should servers be expected to be able resolve the reference. Servers may accept an identifier based reference untouched, resolve it, and/or reject it - see CapabilityStatement.rest.resource.referencePolicy.

              When both an identifier and a literal reference are provided, the literal reference is preferred. Applications processing the resource are allowed - but not required - to check that the identifier matches the literal reference

              Applications converting a logical reference to a literal reference may choose to leave the logical reference present, or remove it.

              Reference is intended to point to a structure that can potentially be expressed as a FHIR resource, though there is no need for it to exist as an actual FHIR resource instance - except in as much as an application wishes to actual find the target of the reference. The content referred to be the identifier must meet the logical constraints implied by any limitations on what resource types are permitted for the reference. For example, it would not be legitimate to send the identifier for a drug prescription if the type were Reference(Observation|DiagnosticReport). One of the use-cases for Reference.identifier is the situation where no FHIR representation exists (where the type is Reference (Any).

              NoteThis is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion)
              Control0..1
              TypeIdentifier
              Is Modifierfalse
              Summarytrue
              Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
              144. DocumentReference.context.sourcePatientInfo.display
              Definition

              Plain text narrative that identifies the resource in addition to the resource reference.

              ShortText alternative for the resource
              Comments

              This is generally not the same as the Resource.text of the referenced resource. The purpose is to identify what's being referenced, not to fully describe it.

              Control0..1
              Typestring
              Is Modifierfalse
              Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
              Summarytrue
              Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
              146. DocumentReference.context.related
              Definition

              Related identifiers or resources associated with the DocumentReference.

              ShortRelated identifiers or resources
              Comments

              May be identifiers or resources that caused the DocumentReference or referenced Document to be created.

              Control0..*
              TypeReference(Resource)
              Is Modifierfalse
              Summaryfalse
              Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))