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type: resourceresource: ObservationDefinition

ObservationDefinition

Introduction

Note to Balloters: To ensure the ObservationDefinition resource is ready for Normative status, we are seeking ballot comments on the substantive content. The key changes made since R5 include:

  • Updated ObservationDefinition.bodySite (CodeableConcept) to ObservationDefinition.bodyStructure (CodeableReference).
  • Updated ObservationDefinition.device for the canonical DeviceDefinition.
  • Added ObservationDefinition.qualifiedValue.interpretation.
  • Jurisdiction has been reinstated (it was marked "Deprecated" in R5).

Scope and Usage

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 represents a set of constraints applicable to the value produced by observations of this kind. It helps the consumer of the results of observations of that kind, to interpret properly these results. If one wants to technically constrain an Observation resource for a particular use case across implementers, a profile is the preferred option and may include profiling on ObservationDefinition and Observation.

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.

Observation Definition resources can be used to describe observations which may need to be evaluated in order to determine whether a specific medicine can be administered or held (e.g., weight, lab value result) and provide guidance on the dose to be administered (e.g., sliding scale insulin dose).

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.

Boundaries and Relationships

An ObservationDefinition resource provides the definitional characteristics for a certain kind of observation. Each time that kind of observation is collected and recorded it is instantiated as an Observation resource, which conforms to these definitional characteristics. Thus, there is a relationship between ObservationDefinition and Observation: The latter may instantiate the former.

When an Observation instantiates an ObservationDefinition, the elements of the Observation resource are expected to inherit their content from the corresponding definitional elements declared in the ObservationDefinition resource:

ObservationDefinition can specify units allowed for the valueQuantity element by setting ObservationDefinition.permittedUnit.

ObservationDefinitions are only to be used when describing the contents of an observation (including observations in order catalogs or panels). When additional structure, sequence, or rules are needed, the Questionnaire resource should be used.

Background and Context

Provides additional detail on exactly how the resource is to be used

StructureDefinition

Elements (Simplified)

Mappings

Resource Packs

list-ObservationDefinition-packs.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<List xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
  <id value="ObservationDefinition-packs"/>
  <status value="current"/>
  <mode value="working"/>
</List>

Search Parameters

Full Search Parameters

Examples

Full Examples

Mapping Exceptions

observationdefinition-definition-mapping-exceptions.xml

Divergent Elements

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.

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 element to indicate where the current master source of the resource can be found. | resource=Can be a urn:uuid: or a urn:oid:, but real http: addresses are preferred. This is the URI that will be used when making canonical references to this resource.

Unknown does not represent 'other' - one of the defined statuses must apply. Unknown is used when the authoring system is not sure what the current status is. | resource=A nominal state-transition diagram can be found in the Definition pattern documentation Unknown does not represent "other" - one of the defined statuses must apply. Unknown is used when the authoring system is not sure what the current status is.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here.

DEPRECATION NOTE: For consistency, implementations are encouraged to migrate to using the new 'jurisdiction' code in the useContext element. (I.e. useContext.code indicating http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/usage-context-type#jurisdiction and useContext.valueCodeableConcept indicating the jurisdiction.). | resource=It may be possible for the ObservationDefinition to be used in jurisdictions other than those for which it was originally designed or intended.

DEPRECATION NOTE: For consistency, implementations are encouraged to migrate to using the new 'jurisdiction' code in the useContext element. (I.e. useContext.code indicating http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/usage-context-type#jurisdiction and useContext.valueCodeableConcept indicating the jurisdiction.)

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here.

Unmapped Elements

observationdefinition-fivews-mapping-exceptions.xml

Unmapped Elements