Path | Short | Definition | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Definition of an observation | Set of definitional characteristics for a kind of observation or measurement produced or consumed by an orderable health care service. | An instance of this resource informs the consumer of a health-related service (such as a lab diagnostic test or panel) about how the observations used or produced by this service will look like. | |
category | Category of observation | A code that classifies the general type of observation. | This element allows various categorization schemes based on the owner’s definition of the category and effectively multiple categories can be used for one instance of ObservationDefinition. The level of granularity is defined by the category concepts in the value set. |
code | Type of observation (code / type) | Describes what will be observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "name". | |
identifier | Business identifier for this ObservationDefinition instance | A unique identifier assigned to this ObservationDefinition artifact. | |
permittedDataType | Quantity | CodeableConcept | string | boolean | integer | Range | Ratio | SampledData | time | dateTime | Period | The data types allowed for the value element of the instance observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
multipleResultsAllowed | Multiple results allowed | Multiple results allowed for observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | An example of observation allowing multiple results is "bacteria identified by culture". Conversely, the measurement of a potassium level allows a single result. |
method | Method used to produce the observation | The method or technique used to perform the observation. | Only used if not implicit in observation code. |
preferredReportName | Preferred report name | The preferred name to be used when reporting the results of observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
quantitativeDetails | Characteristics of quantitative results | Characteristics for quantitative results of this observation. | |
quantitativeDetails.id | Unique id for inter-element referencing | Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces. | |
quantitativeDetails.extension | Additional content defined by implementations | 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. | 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. |
quantitativeDetails.modifierExtension | Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized | 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). | 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. |
quantitativeDetails.customaryUnit | Customary unit for quantitative results | Customary unit used to report quantitative results of observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
quantitativeDetails.unit | SI unit for quantitative results | SI unit used to report quantitative results of observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
quantitativeDetails.conversionFactor | SI to Customary unit conversion factor | Factor for converting value expressed with SI unit to value expressed with customary unit. | |
quantitativeDetails.decimalPrecision | Decimal precision of observation quantitative results | Number of digits after decimal separator when the results of such observations are of type Quantity. | |
qualifiedInterval | Qualified range for continuous and ordinal observation results | Multiple ranges of results qualified by different contexts for ordinal or continuous observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
qualifiedInterval.id | Unique id for inter-element referencing | Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces. | |
qualifiedInterval.extension | Additional content defined by implementations | 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. | 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. |
qualifiedInterval.modifierExtension | Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized | 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). | 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. |
qualifiedInterval.category | reference | critical | absolute | The category of interval of values for continuous or ordinal observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
qualifiedInterval.range | The interval itself, for continuous or ordinal observations | The low and high values determining the interval. There may be only one of the two. | |
qualifiedInterval.context | Range context qualifier | Codes to indicate the health context the range applies to. For example, the normal or therapeutic range. | |
qualifiedInterval.appliesTo | Targetted population of the range | Codes to indicate the target population this reference range applies to. | If this element is not present then the global population is assumed. |
qualifiedInterval.gender | male | female | other | unknown | Sex of the population the range applies to. | |
qualifiedInterval.age | Applicable age range, if relevant | The age at which this reference range is applicable. This is a neonatal age (e.g. number of weeks at term) if the meaning says so. | Some analytes vary greatly over age. |
qualifiedInterval.gestationalAge | Applicable gestational age range, if relevant | The gestational age to which this reference range is applicable, in the context of pregnancy. | |
qualifiedInterval.condition | Condition associated with the reference range | Text based condition for which the reference range is valid. | |
validCodedValueSet | Value set of valid coded values for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition | The set of valid coded results for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
normalCodedValueSet | Value set of normal coded values for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition | The set of normal coded results for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
abnormalCodedValueSet | Value set of abnormal coded values for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition | The set of abnormal coded results for the observation conforming to this ObservationDefinition. | |
criticalCodedValueSet | Value set of critical coded values for the observations conforming to this ObservationDefinition | The set of critical coded results for the observation conforming to this ObservationDefinition. |
Note that this content is preliminary has not undergone proper review by the appropriate Workgroups.
An instance of ObservationDefinition represents the definitional aspects of a kind of observation. This resource is used in a catalog of products or services for healthcare. It provides the definition of observations, which are used as input or produced as outcome of these products and services. The focus of the definitional aspects of ObservationDefinition is not on the action of performing observations of that kind. Rather, it is on the outcome of the observations. An instance of ObservationDefinition represents a set of constraints applicable to the value produced by observations of this kind. This set of constraints may have two utilities: 1) It guides the entry of the result of an observation of the kind defined. 2) It helps the consumer of the results of observations of that kind, to interpret properly these results.
For instance, in a catalog of laboratory in vitro diagnostic services, the ObservationDefinition resources describe the observations that should be provided by the orderer alongside with an ordered service (questions asked at order entry or at specimen collection, prior results) as well as the observations that will be reported once the service has been performed.
In a catalog of medications, ObservationDefinition resources can be used to describe observations the result thereof need to be checked against the prescription of a particular medicinal product (therapeutic range, units ...)
In the catalog of tests of an in vitro diagnostic device, ObservationDefinition resources can be used to characterize (absolute range, unit, decimal precision, critical values ...) the observations that will be produced by the IVD tests performed by the device.
ObservationDefinition may be used to characterize observations from any discipline.
This resource relates to these other resource:.