Value Set Packages
0.1.0-cibuild - CI Build International flag

Value Set Packages, published by Clinical Quality Framework. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 0.1.0-cibuild built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/cqframework/vsp-ig/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Home Page

Official URL: http://fhir.org/guides/cqf/vsp/ImplementationGuide/fhir.cqf.vsp Version: 0.1.0-cibuild
Draft as of 2025-10-27 Computable Name: VSP

Introduction

This implementation guide provides documentation and demonstration artifacts for Value Set Packages to enable IG/Publication authors and implementers to define and distribute updated terminology for any IG/Publication on a predictable basis.

Two primary use cases are documented:

  1. Enable authors to define Value Set Packages that identify code system versions to be used to expand value sets used in the implementation guide.
  2. Enable implementers to obtain Value Set Packages containing “refreshed” value sets expanded with the specified code system versions.

This capability will be provided through the use of the Value Set Manager, an existing open source implementation of the Canonical Resource Management Infrastructure (CRMI) IG that is being used to manage public health triggering value sets, as well as FHIR-based quality measure value sets.

Overview

A Value Set Package is all the expanded value sets required for an implementation guide, refreshed using specified code system versions, so that implementers can obtain stable, predictable expansions that are consistent with author intent.

Value Set Packages are defined by IG/Publication authors as needed. For example, the US Core 6.1.0 Implementation Guide was initially published in June of 2023. Since that time, many of the code systems used by value sets in the implementation guide have been updated, including at least SNOMED, LOINC, and RxNORM.

A Value Set Package Definition is used to specify the code system versions (i.e. input expansion parameters) to be used. For example:

US Core 6.1.0 2025 Refresh

  • SNOMED 2024-09
  • LOINC 2.78
  • RXNORM 2025-01

See the Draft US Core 6.1.0 2025 Value Set Package Definition for a detailed example of a draft Value Set Package Definition.

This Value Set Package Definition is then released, a process that involves pinning all the dependencies used by the implementation guide. If the version of a dependency is not set by the input expansion parameters, then the latest known version is recorded.

See the Released US Core 6.1.0 2025 Value Set Package Definition for a detailed example of a released Value Set Package Definition.

With the released Value Set Package Definition, the Value Set Package can be packaged by using a terminology server to expand all the value sets using the code system versions specified in the released definition. These expanded value sets can then be provided as a Bundle.

See the US Core 6.1.0 2025 Value Set Package

Dependencies

IGPackageFHIRComment
.. Value Set Packagesfhir.cqf.vsp#0.1.0-cibuildR4
... HL7 Terminology (THO)hl7.terminology.r4#6.5.0R4Automatically added as a dependency - all IGs depend on HL7 Terminology
... FHIR Extensions Packhl7.fhir.uv.extensions.r4#5.2.0R4Automatically added as a dependency - all IGs depend on the HL7 Extension Pack
... Canonical Resource Management Infrastructure Implementation Guidehl7.fhir.uv.crmi#1.0.0R4

Cross Version Analysis

This is an R4 IG. None of the features it uses are changed in R4B, so it can be used as is with R4B systems. Packages for both R4 (fhir.cqf.vsp.r4) and R4B (fhir.cqf.vsp.r4b) are available.

Global Profiles

There are no Global profiles defined

IP Statements

This publication includes IP covered under the following statements.