Update "Use of the reference datatype"

Description

The FHIR IG has a section on the "Use of the reference datatype". There are several issues with this section which might need some clarification:

  • "Each reference may be either internal or external." It is not explained what this means. From the FHIR documentation, it seems like an internal reference means a reference to a contained resource. Is it useful to mention this disticintion here?

  • "The datatype supports a display attribute, comparable to a link title in a web page, and an identifier." This misses the reference attribute, which is the most important one, at least in the MedMij context.

  • "The identifier acts as a logical reference when the literal reference is not known. Literal references work based on the FHIR logical id, not the identifier, attribute." True, but very confusing as "resource.id" is the "logical identifier", which is not what identifier referst to. So it's betst to avoid the term "logical". Plus a link to the section on id's can be added.

  • In the table, the flags column provides very little added information.

  • "The expectation within MedMij is therefore that the vast majority of references will be based on internal references or identifier." This is not true.

  • "The reference, if used, SHALL be resolvable". Clarify that this is the reference attribute

  • Then there are two notes, one "in-line" and the other referred to from the table. This is a bit messy.

  • There is a bullet "Literal (internal/external) references are preferred over logical references when a choice in resource type is available". It is unclear where this belongs to.

Verduidelijking van Impact

This section provides some guidance in addition to the base spec, but doesn't define any restrictions or interpretations. This will not change, so there's no impact.

Proposed solution (NL)

Change the section "Use of the reference datatype" to bring it in line with the rest of the FHIR IG

Proposed solution (EN)

None

Release notes (NL)

In the FHIR IG, the section on the Reference datatype duplicated parts of the FHIR core spec. It has been rewritten to only provide additional guidance relevant to the use cases.

Release notes (EN)

None

Activity

Niek van Galen 
November 10, 2020 at 1:21 PM

Former user heb wat kleine spellingsfixes gedaan, verder akkoord bevonden, het is een mooi compact stukje geworden.

Pieter Edelman 
November 10, 2020 at 12:12 PM

Resolved
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Details

Assignee

Reporter

Classification

Informatiestandaard onderdelen

FHIR-package

Information standard

Alle

Priority

Better Excel Exporter

Created October 19, 2020 at 10:28 AM
Updated January 12, 2024 at 12:54 PM
Resolved November 26, 2020 at 9:51 AM