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0.3.0 - ci-build

SMART Base, published by WHO. This guide is not an authorized publication; it is the continuous build for version 0.3.0 built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) CI Build. This version is based on the current content of https://github.com/litlfred/smart-base/ and changes regularly. See the Directory of published versions

Logical Model: KGTerminologyCode - Detailed Descriptions

Active as of 2026-10-06

Definitions for the KGTerminologyCode logical model.

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

0. KGTerminologyCode
Definition

A code in an external terminology — ICD-10, ICD-11, SNOMED CT, ATC, or a WHO classification such as CDHI. CROSS-REFERENCE ONLY. It records system, code and display, and asserts NOTHING about the terminology: no hierarchy, no subsumption, no synonyms, no post-coordination. The terminology has its own authority, its own release cycle and its own tooling, and a partial copy here would be wrong within one release. Resolve meaning against the terminology server, not against this graph. Derives from Coding (FHIR R4 core datatype); system, code, display, version are its elements. Class IRI: http://smart.who.int/kg/terminology-code.


A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.

ShortKnowledge graph L1: Terminology codeA reference to a code defined by a terminology system
Comments

Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information.

Control0..*
This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
Is Modifierfalse
Logical ModelInstances of this logical model are not marked to be the target of a Reference
Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
2. KGTerminologyCode.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
4. KGTerminologyCode.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 KGTerminologyCode.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
  • value @ url
  • 6. KGTerminologyCode.system
    Definition

    The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.

    ShortIdentity of the terminology system
    Comments

    The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.

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

    Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.

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

    The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.

    ShortVersion of the system - if relevant
    Comments

    Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.

    NoteThis is a business version Id, not a resource version Id (see discussion)
    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()))
    10. KGTerminologyCode.code
    Definition

    A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).

    ShortSymbol in syntax defined by the system
    Control0..1
    Typecode
    Is Modifierfalse
    Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
    Summarytrue
    Requirements

    Need to refer to a particular code in the system.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    12. KGTerminologyCode.display
    Definition

    A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.

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

    Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.

    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    14. KGTerminologyCode.userSelected
    Definition

    Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).

    ShortIf this coding was chosen directly by the user
    Comments

    Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.

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

    This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.

    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 foundhere

    0. KGTerminologyCode
    Definition

    A code in an external terminology — ICD-10, ICD-11, SNOMED CT, ATC, or a WHO classification such as CDHI. CROSS-REFERENCE ONLY. It records system, code and display, and asserts NOTHING about the terminology: no hierarchy, no subsumption, no synonyms, no post-coordination. The terminology has its own authority, its own release cycle and its own tooling, and a partial copy here would be wrong within one release. Resolve meaning against the terminology server, not against this graph. Derives from Coding (FHIR R4 core datatype); system, code, display, version are its elements. Class IRI: http://smart.who.int/kg/terminology-code.

    ShortKnowledge graph L1: Terminology code
    Logical ModelInstances of this logical model are not marked to be the target of a Reference

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

    0. KGTerminologyCode
    Definition

    A code in an external terminology — ICD-10, ICD-11, SNOMED CT, ATC, or a WHO classification such as CDHI. CROSS-REFERENCE ONLY. It records system, code and display, and asserts NOTHING about the terminology: no hierarchy, no subsumption, no synonyms, no post-coordination. The terminology has its own authority, its own release cycle and its own tooling, and a partial copy here would be wrong within one release. Resolve meaning against the terminology server, not against this graph. Derives from Coding (FHIR R4 core datatype); system, code, display, version are its elements. Class IRI: http://smart.who.int/kg/terminology-code.

    ShortKnowledge graph L1: Terminology code
    Comments

    Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information.

    Control0..*
    This element is affected by the following invariants: ele-1
    Is Modifierfalse
    Logical ModelInstances of this logical model are not marked to be the target of a Reference
    Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
    2. KGTerminologyCode.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
    4. KGTerminologyCode.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 KGTerminologyCode.extension. The slices areUnordered and Open, and can be differentiated using the following discriminators:
    • value @ url
    • 6. KGTerminologyCode.system
      Definition

      The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.

      ShortIdentity of the terminology system
      Comments

      The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.

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

      Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.

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

      The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.

      ShortVersion of the system - if relevant
      Comments

      Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.

      NoteThis is a business version Id, not a resource version Id (see discussion)
      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()))
      10. KGTerminologyCode.code
      Definition

      A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).

      ShortSymbol in syntax defined by the system
      Control0..1
      Typecode
      Is Modifierfalse
      Primitive ValueThis primitive element may be present, or absent, or replaced by an extension
      Summarytrue
      Requirements

      Need to refer to a particular code in the system.

      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      12. KGTerminologyCode.display
      Definition

      A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.

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

      Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.

      Invariantsele-1: All FHIR elements must have a @value or children (hasValue() or (children().count() > id.count()))
      14. KGTerminologyCode.userSelected
      Definition

      Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).

      ShortIf this coding was chosen directly by the user
      Comments

      Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.

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

      This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.

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