Resource type: evidencevariable

Description

The EvidenceVariable resource describes a "PICO" element that knowledge (evidence, assertion, recommendation) is about.

Elements

PathShortDefinitionComments
A population, intervention, or exposure definitionThe EvidenceVariable resource describes a "PICO" element that knowledge (evidence, assertion, recommendation) is about.PICO stands for Population (the population within which exposures are being compared), Intervention (the conditional state or exposure state being described for its effect on outcomes), Comparison (the alternative conditional state or alternative exposure state being compared against), and Outcome (the result or effect of the intervention in the population).
urlCanonical identifier for this evidence variable, represented as a URI (globally unique)An absolute URI that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance; also called its canonical identifier. This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which at which an authoritative instance of this evidence variable is (or will be) published. This URL can be the target of a canonical reference. It SHALL remain the same when the evidence variable is stored on different servers.Can be a urn:uuid: or a urn:oid: but real http: addresses are preferred. Multiple instances may share the same URL if they have a distinct version. The determination of when to create a new version of a resource (same url, new version) vs. defining a new artifact is up to the author. Considerations for making this decision are found in [Technical and Business Versions](resource.html#versions). In some cases, the resource can no longer be found at the stated url, but the url itself cannot change. Implementations can use the [meta.source](resource.html#meta) element to indicate where the current master source of the resource can be found.
identifierAdditional identifier for the evidence variableA formal identifier that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is represented in other formats, or referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance.Typically, this is used for identifiers that can go in an HL7 V3 II (instance identifier) data type, and can then identify this evidence variable outside of FHIR, where it is not possible to use the logical URI.
versionBusiness version of the evidence variableThe identifier that is used to identify this version of the evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the evidence variable author and is not expected to be globally unique. For example, it might be a timestamp (e.g. yyyymmdd) if a managed version is not available. There is also no expectation that versions can be placed in a lexicographical sequence. To provide a version consistent with the Decision Support Service specification, use the format Major.Minor.Revision (e.g. 1.0.0). For more information on versioning knowledge assets, refer to the Decision Support Service specification. Note that a version is required for non-experimental active artifacts.There may be different evidence variable instances that have the same identifier but different versions. The version can be appended to the url in a reference to allow a reference to a particular business version of the evidence variable with the format [url]|[version].
nameName for this evidence variable (computer friendly)A natural language name identifying the evidence variable. This name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation.The name is not expected to be globally unique. The name should be a simple alphanumeric type name to ensure that it is machine-processing friendly.
titleName for this evidence variable (human friendly)A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the evidence variable.This name does not need to be machine-processing friendly and may contain punctuation, white-space, etc.
shortTitleTitle for use in informal contextsThe short title provides an alternate title for use in informal descriptive contexts where the full, formal title is not necessary.
subtitleSubordinate title of the EvidenceVariableAn explanatory or alternate title for the EvidenceVariable giving additional information about its content.
statusdraft | active | retired | unknownThe status of this evidence variable. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content.Allows filtering of evidence variables that are appropriate for use versus not.
dateDate last changedThe date (and optionally time) when the evidence variable was published. The date must change when the business version changes and it must change if the status code changes. In addition, it should change when the substantive content of the evidence variable changes.Note that this is not the same as the resource last-modified-date, since the resource may be a secondary representation of the evidence variable. Additional specific dates may be added as extensions or be found by consulting Provenances associated with past versions of the resource.
publisherName of the publisher (organization or individual)The name of the organization or individual that published the evidence variable.Usually an organization but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the evidence variable is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the evidence variable. This is not necessarily the same individual or organization that developed and initially authored the content. The publisher is the primary point of contact for questions or issues with the evidence variable. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.
contactContact details for the publisherContact details to assist a user in finding and communicating with the publisher.May be a web site, an email address, a telephone number, etc.
descriptionNatural language description of the evidence variableA free text natural language description of the evidence variable from a consumer's perspective.This description can be used to capture details such as why the evidence variable was built, comments about misuse, instructions for clinical use and interpretation, literature references, examples from the paper world, etc. It is not a rendering of the evidence variable as conveyed in the 'text' field of the resource itself. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context (e.g. the language of the evidence variable is presumed to be the predominant language in the place the evidence variable was created).
noteUsed for footnotes or explanatory notesA human-readable string to clarify or explain concepts about the resource.
useContextThe context that the content is intended to supportThe content was developed with a focus and intent of supporting the contexts that are listed. These contexts may be general categories (gender, age, ...) or may be references to specific programs (insurance plans, studies, ...) and may be used to assist with indexing and searching for appropriate evidence variable instances.When multiple useContexts are specified, there is no expectation that all or any of the contexts apply.
jurisdictionIntended jurisdiction for evidence variable (if applicable)A legal or geographic region in which the evidence variable is intended to be used.It may be possible for the evidence variable to be used in jurisdictions other than those for which it was originally designed or intended.
copyrightUse and/or publishing restrictionsA copyright statement relating to the evidence variable and/or its contents. Copyright statements are generally legal restrictions on the use and publishing of the evidence variable.
approvalDateWhen the evidence variable was approved by publisherThe date on which the resource content was approved by the publisher. Approval happens once when the content is officially approved for usage.The 'date' element may be more recent than the approval date because of minor changes or editorial corrections.
lastReviewDateWhen the evidence variable was last reviewedThe date on which the resource content was last reviewed. Review happens periodically after approval but does not change the original approval date.If specified, this date follows the original approval date.
effectivePeriodWhen the evidence variable is expected to be usedThe period during which the evidence variable content was or is planned to be in active use.The effective period for a evidence variable determines when the content is applicable for usage and is independent of publication and review dates. For example, a measure intended to be used for the year 2016 might be published in 2015.
topicThe category of the EvidenceVariable, such as Education, Treatment, Assessment, etc.Descriptive topics related to the content of the EvidenceVariable. Topics provide a high-level categorization grouping types of EvidenceVariables that can be useful for filtering and searching.
authorWho authored the contentAn individiual or organization primarily involved in the creation and maintenance of the content.
editorWho edited the contentAn individual or organization primarily responsible for internal coherence of the content.
reviewerWho reviewed the contentAn individual or organization primarily responsible for review of some aspect of the content.
endorserWho endorsed the contentAn individual or organization responsible for officially endorsing the content for use in some setting.
relatedArtifactAdditional documentation, citations, etc.Related artifacts such as additional documentation, justification, or bibliographic references.Each related artifact is either an attachment, or a reference to another resource, but not both.
typedichotomous | continuous | descriptiveThe type of evidence element, a population, an exposure, or an outcome.
characteristicWhat defines the members of the evidence elementA characteristic that defines the members of the evidence element. Multiple characteristics are applied with "and" semantics.Characteristics can be defined flexibly to accommodate different use cases for membership criteria, ranging from simple codes, all the way to using an expression language to express the criteria.
characteristic.idUnique id for inter-element referencingUnique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.
characteristic.extensionAdditional content defined by implementationsMay 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.
characteristic.modifierExtensionExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognizedMay 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.
characteristic.descriptionNatural language description of the characteristicA short, natural language description of the characteristic that could be used to communicate the criteria to an end-user.
characteristic.definition[x]What code or expression defines members?Define members of the evidence element using Codes (such as condition, medication, or observation), Expressions ( using an expression language such as FHIRPath or CQL) or DataRequirements (such as Diabetes diagnosis onset in the last year).
characteristic.usageContextWhat code/value pairs define members?Use UsageContext to define the members of the population, such as Age Ranges, Genders, Settings.
characteristic.excludeWhether the characteristic includes or excludes membersWhen true, members with this characteristic are excluded from the element.
characteristic.participantEffective[x]What time period do participants coverIndicates what effective period the study covers.
characteristic.timeFromStartObservation time from study startIndicates duration from the participant's study entry.
characteristic.groupMeasuremean | median | mean-of-mean | mean-of-median | median-of-mean | median-of-medianIndicates how elements are aggregated within the study effective period.

Scope and Usage

This resource is a definition resource from a FHIR workflow perspective - see Workflow, specifically Definition.

The scope of the EvidenceVariable resource is to describe a "PICO" element that knowledge (evidence, assertion, recommendation) is about. PICO stands for: Population - the population within which exposures and outcomes are being considered Intervention - the conditional state or exposure state being described for which one is expressing the risk of or effect on an outcome Comparison - the alternative conditional state or alternative exposure state when one is comparing states for the effect on an outcome Outcome - the result or effect of an intervention or exposure in a population PICO (and its variants like PECO or PICOT) is a universal acronym used in evidence-based medicine communities to clearly express research questions and evidence findings. The EvidenceVariable resource allows expression of the components of a PICO question in codeable and reusable formats.

Boundaries and Relationships

Multiple resources describing evidence findings (Evidence, EffectEvidenceSynthesis, EffectEvidenceBit, RiskEvidenceSynthesis, RiskEvidenceBit) will reference EvidenceVariable to describe what the evidence findings are about.

Search Parameters

composed-ofWhat resource is being referencedEvidenceVariable.relatedArtifact.where(type='composed-of').resource
contextA use context assigned to the evidence variable(EvidenceVariable.useContext.value as CodeableConcept)
context-quantityA quantity- or range-valued use context assigned to the evidence variable(EvidenceVariable.useContext.value as Quantity) | (EvidenceVariable.useContext.value as Range)
context-typeA type of use context assigned to the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.useContext.code
dateThe evidence variable publication dateEvidenceVariable.date
depends-onWhat resource is being referencedEvidenceVariable.relatedArtifact.where(type='depends-on').resource
derived-fromWhat resource is being referencedEvidenceVariable.relatedArtifact.where(type='derived-from').resource
descriptionThe description of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.description
effectiveThe time during which the evidence variable is intended to be in useEvidenceVariable.effectivePeriod
identifierExternal identifier for the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.identifier
jurisdictionIntended jurisdiction for the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.jurisdiction
nameComputationally friendly name of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.name
predecessorWhat resource is being referencedEvidenceVariable.relatedArtifact.where(type='predecessor').resource
publisherName of the publisher of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.publisher
statusThe current status of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.status
successorWhat resource is being referencedEvidenceVariable.relatedArtifact.where(type='successor').resource
titleThe human-friendly name of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.title
topicTopics associated with the EvidenceVariableEvidenceVariable.topic
urlThe uri that identifies the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.url
versionThe business version of the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.version
context-type-quantityA use context type and quantity- or range-based value assigned to the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.useContext
context-type-valueA use context type and value assigned to the evidence variableEvidenceVariable.useContext

Extension Definitions

These are extension definitions for this resource defined by the spec

Profiles based on this resource

PICO Element Profile

Explanation of what this profile contains/is for.

Elements

PathShortDefinitionComments
A population, intervention, or exposure definitionThe EvidenceVariable resource describes a "PICO" element that knowledge (evidence, assertion, recommendation) is about.PICO stands for Population (the population within which exposures are being compared), Intervention (the conditional state or exposure state being described for its effect on outcomes), Comparison (the alternative conditional state or alternative exposure state being compared against), and Outcome (the result or effect of the intervention in the population).
urlCanonical identifier for this evidence variable, represented as a URI (globally unique)An absolute URI that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance; also called its canonical identifier. This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which at which an authoritative instance of this evidence variable is (or will be) published. This URL can be the target of a canonical reference. It SHALL remain the same when the evidence variable is stored on different servers.Can be a urn:uuid: or a urn:oid: but real http: addresses are preferred. Multiple instances may share the same URL if they have a distinct version. The determination of when to create a new version of a resource (same url, new version) vs. defining a new artifact is up to the author. Considerations for making this decision are found in [Technical and Business Versions](resource.html#versions). In some cases, the resource can no longer be found at the stated url, but the url itself cannot change. Implementations can use the [meta.source](resource.html#meta) element to indicate where the current master source of the resource can be found.
identifierAdditional identifier for the evidence variableA formal identifier that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is represented in other formats, or referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance.Typically, this is used for identifiers that can go in an HL7 V3 II (instance identifier) data type, and can then identify this evidence variable outside of FHIR, where it is not possible to use the logical URI.
versionBusiness version of the evidence variableThe identifier that is used to identify this version of the evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the evidence variable author and is not expected to be globally unique. For example, it might be a timestamp (e.g. yyyymmdd) if a managed version is not available. There is also no expectation that versions can be placed in a lexicographical sequence. To provide a version consistent with the Decision Support Service specification, use the format Major.Minor.Revision (e.g. 1.0.0). For more information on versioning knowledge assets, refer to the Decision Support Service specification. Note that a version is required for non-experimental active artifacts.There may be different evidence variable instances that have the same identifier but different versions. The version can be appended to the url in a reference to allow a reference to a particular business version of the evidence variable with the format [url]|[version].
nameName for this evidence variable (computer friendly)A natural language name identifying the evidence variable. This name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation.The name is not expected to be globally unique. The name should be a simple alphanumeric type name to ensure that it is machine-processing friendly.
titleName for this evidence variable (human friendly)A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the evidence variable.This name does not need to be machine-processing friendly and may contain punctuation, white-space, etc.
shortTitleTitle for use in informal contextsThe short title provides an alternate title for use in informal descriptive contexts where the full, formal title is not necessary.
subtitleSubordinate title of the EvidenceVariableAn explanatory or alternate title for the EvidenceVariable giving additional information about its content.
statusdraft | active | retired | unknownThe status of this evidence variable. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content.Allows filtering of evidence variables that are appropriate for use versus not.
dateDate last changedThe date (and optionally time) when the evidence variable was published. The date must change when the business version changes and it must change if the status code changes. In addition, it should change when the substantive content of the evidence variable changes.Note that this is not the same as the resource last-modified-date, since the resource may be a secondary representation of the evidence variable. Additional specific dates may be added as extensions or be found by consulting Provenances associated with past versions of the resource.
publisherName of the publisher (organization or individual)The name of the organization or individual that published the evidence variable.Usually an organization but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the evidence variable is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the evidence variable. This is not necessarily the same individual or organization that developed and initially authored the content. The publisher is the primary point of contact for questions or issues with the evidence variable. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.
contactContact details for the publisherContact details to assist a user in finding and communicating with the publisher.May be a web site, an email address, a telephone number, etc.
descriptionNatural language description of the evidence variableA free text natural language description of the evidence variable from a consumer's perspective.This description can be used to capture details such as why the evidence variable was built, comments about misuse, instructions for clinical use and interpretation, literature references, examples from the paper world, etc. It is not a rendering of the evidence variable as conveyed in the 'text' field of the resource itself. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context (e.g. the language of the evidence variable is presumed to be the predominant language in the place the evidence variable was created).
noteUsed for footnotes or explanatory notesA human-readable string to clarify or explain concepts about the resource.
useContextThe context that the content is intended to supportThe content was developed with a focus and intent of supporting the contexts that are listed. These contexts may be general categories (gender, age, ...) or may be references to specific programs (insurance plans, studies, ...) and may be used to assist with indexing and searching for appropriate evidence variable instances.When multiple useContexts are specified, there is no expectation that all or any of the contexts apply.
jurisdictionIntended jurisdiction for evidence variable (if applicable)A legal or geographic region in which the evidence variable is intended to be used.It may be possible for the evidence variable to be used in jurisdictions other than those for which it was originally designed or intended.
copyrightUse and/or publishing restrictionsA copyright statement relating to the evidence variable and/or its contents. Copyright statements are generally legal restrictions on the use and publishing of the evidence variable.
approvalDateWhen the evidence variable was approved by publisherThe date on which the resource content was approved by the publisher. Approval happens once when the content is officially approved for usage.The 'date' element may be more recent than the approval date because of minor changes or editorial corrections.
lastReviewDateWhen the evidence variable was last reviewedThe date on which the resource content was last reviewed. Review happens periodically after approval but does not change the original approval date.If specified, this date follows the original approval date.
effectivePeriodWhen the evidence variable is expected to be usedThe period during which the evidence variable content was or is planned to be in active use.The effective period for a evidence variable determines when the content is applicable for usage and is independent of publication and review dates. For example, a measure intended to be used for the year 2016 might be published in 2015.
topicThe category of the EvidenceVariable, such as Education, Treatment, Assessment, etc.Descriptive topics related to the content of the EvidenceVariable. Topics provide a high-level categorization grouping types of EvidenceVariables that can be useful for filtering and searching.
authorWho authored the contentAn individiual or organization primarily involved in the creation and maintenance of the content.
editorWho edited the contentAn individual or organization primarily responsible for internal coherence of the content.
reviewerWho reviewed the contentAn individual or organization primarily responsible for review of some aspect of the content.
endorserWho endorsed the contentAn individual or organization responsible for officially endorsing the content for use in some setting.
relatedArtifactAdditional documentation, citations, etc.Related artifacts such as additional documentation, justification, or bibliographic references.Each related artifact is either an attachment, or a reference to another resource, but not both.
typedichotomous | continuous | descriptiveThe type of evidence element, a population, an exposure, or an outcome.
characteristicWhat defines the members of the evidence elementA characteristic that defines the members of the evidence element. Multiple characteristics are applied with "and" semantics.Characteristics can be defined flexibly to accommodate different use cases for membership criteria, ranging from simple codes, all the way to using an expression language to express the criteria.
characteristic.idUnique id for inter-element referencingUnique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.
characteristic.extensionAdditional content defined by implementationsMay 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.
characteristic.modifierExtensionExtensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognizedMay 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.
characteristic.descriptionNatural language description of the characteristicA short, natural language description of the characteristic that could be used to communicate the criteria to an end-user.
characteristic.definition[x]What code or expression defines members?Define members of the evidence element using Codes (such as condition, medication, or observation), Expressions ( using an expression language such as FHIRPath or CQL) or DataRequirements (such as Diabetes diagnosis onset in the last year).
characteristic.usageContextWhat code/value pairs define members?Use UsageContext to define the members of the population, such as Age Ranges, Genders, Settings.
characteristic.excludeWhether the characteristic includes or excludes membersWhen true, members with this characteristic are excluded from the element.
characteristic.participantEffective[x]What time period do participants coverIndicates what effective period the study covers.
characteristic.timeFromStartObservation time from study startIndicates duration from the participant's study entry.
characteristic.groupMeasuremean | median | mean-of-mean | mean-of-median | median-of-mean | median-of-medianIndicates how elements are aggregated within the study effective period.