Practitioner
A person who is directly or indirectly involved in the provisioning of healthcare or related services.
Scope and Usage
Practitioner covers all individuals who are engaged in the healthcare process and healthcare-related services as part of their formal responsibilities and this Resource is used for attribution of activities and responsibilities to these individuals. Practitioners include (but are not limited to):
physicians, dentists, pharmacists physician assistants, nurses, scribes midwives, dietitians, therapists, optometrists, paramedics medical technicians, laboratory scientists, prosthetic technicians, radiographers social workers, professional homecare providers, official volunteers receptionists handling patient registration IT personnel merging or unmerging patient records service animal (e.g., ward assigned dog capable of detecting cancer in patients) a bus driver for a community organization a lawyer acting for a hospital or a patient a person working for a supplier of a healthcare organization The Practitioner resource is used for anyone involved in the provision of care or services to a Patient associated with an organization. The RelatedPerson resource is used for anyone involved in the care for a patient, typically having a personal *relationship *or non-healthcare-specific professional relationship to the patient.
Resource content
These are different views on this resource:
PH_Practitioner (Practitioner) | I | Practitioner | |
id | Σ | 0..1 | string |
meta | Σ | 0..1 | Meta |
implicitRules | Σ ?! | 0..1 | uri |
language | 0..1 | codeBinding | |
text | 0..1 | Narrative | |
contained | 0..* | Resource | |
extension | I | 0..* | Extension |
signature | I | 0..* | Extension(Signature) |
sex | I | 0..* | Extension(code) |
modifierExtension | ?! I | 0..* | Extension |
identifier | Σ | 0..* | Identifier |
active | Σ | 0..1 | boolean |
name | Σ | 0..* | HumanName |
telecom | Σ I | 0..* | ContactPoint |
address | Σ | 0..* | Address |
gender | Σ | 0..0 | codeBinding |
birthDate | Σ | 0..0 | date |
photo | I | 0..0 | Attachment |
qualification | 0..0 | BackboneElement | |
communication | 0..0 | CodeableConceptBinding |
Practitioner | |
Definition | A person who is directly involved in the provisioning of healthcare. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.id | |
Definition | The logical id of the resource, as used in the URL for the resource. Once assigned, this value never changes. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | string |
Summary | True |
Comments | The only time that a resource does not have an id is when it is being submitted to the server using a create operation. |
Practitioner.meta | |
Definition | The metadata about the resource. This is content that is maintained by the infrastructure. Changes to the content might not always be associated with version changes to the resource. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | Meta |
Summary | True |
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Practitioner.implicitRules | |
Definition | A reference to a set of rules that were followed when the resource was constructed, and which must be understood when processing the content. Often, this is a reference to an implementation guide that defines the special rules along with other profiles etc. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | uri |
Modifier | True |
Summary | True |
Comments | Asserting this rule set restricts the content to be only understood by a limited set of trading partners. This inherently limits the usefulness of the data in the long term. However, the existing health eco-system is highly fractured, and not yet ready to define, collect, and exchange data in a generally computable sense. Wherever possible, implementers and/or specification writers should avoid using this element. Often, when used, the URL is a reference to an implementation guide that defines these special rules as part of it's narrative along with other profiles, value sets, etc. |
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Practitioner.language | |
Definition | The base language in which the resource is written. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | code |
Binding | A human language. |
Comments | Language is provided to support indexing and accessibility (typically, services such as text to speech use the language tag). The html language tag in the narrative applies to the narrative. The language tag on the resource may be used to specify the language of other presentations generated from the data in the resource. Not all the content has to be in the base language. The Resource.language should not be assumed to apply to the narrative automatically. If a language is specified, it should it also be specified on the div element in the html (see rules in HTML5 for information about the relationship between xml:lang and the html lang attribute). |
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Practitioner.text | |
Definition | A human-readable narrative that contains a summary of the resource and can be used to represent the content of the resource to a human. The narrative need not encode all the structured data, but is required to contain sufficient detail to make it "clinically safe" for a human to just read the narrative. Resource definitions may define what content should be represented in the narrative to ensure clinical safety. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | Narrative |
Alias | narrative, html, xhtml, display |
Comments | Contained resources do not have narrative. Resources that are not contained SHOULD have a narrative. In some cases, a resource may only have text with little or no additional discrete data (as long as all minOccurs=1 elements are satisfied). This may be necessary for data from legacy systems where information is captured as a "text blob" or where text is additionally entered raw or narrated and encoded information is added later. |
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Practitioner.contained | |
Definition | These resources do not have an independent existence apart from the resource that contains them - they cannot be identified independently, and nor can they have their own independent transaction scope. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Resource |
Alias | inline resources, anonymous resources, contained resources |
Comments | This should never be done when the content can be identified properly, as once identification is lost, it is extremely difficult (and context dependent) to restore it again. Contained resources may have profiles and tags In their meta elements, but SHALL NOT have security labels. |
Mappings |
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Practitioner.extension | |
Definition | May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource. 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. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension |
Alias | extensions, user content |
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. |
Slicing | Unordered, Open, by url(Value) |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.extension:signature | |
Definition | Practitioner Signature |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension(Signature) |
Alias | extensions, user content |
Comments | This is an extension |
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Practitioner.extension:sex | |
Definition | The sex assigned at birth, as documented on the birth registration |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension(code) |
Alias | extensions, user content |
Comments | This is an extension |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.modifierExtension | |
Definition | May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the resource and that modifies the understanding of the element that contains it 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 is allowed to 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). |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension |
Modifier | True |
Alias | extensions, user content |
Requirements | Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions. |
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. |
Slicing | Unordered, Open, by url(Value) |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.identifier | |
Definition | An identifier that applies to this person in this role. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Identifier |
Summary | True |
Requirements | Often, specific identities are assigned for the agent. |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.active | |
Definition | Whether this practitioner's record is in active use. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | boolean |
Summary | True |
Requirements | Need to be able to mark a practitioner record as not to be used because it was created in error. |
Comments | If the practitioner is not in use by one organization, then it should mark the period on the PractitonerRole with an end date (even if they are active) as they may be active in another role. |
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Practitioner.name | |
Definition | The name(s) associated with the practitioner. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | HumanName |
Summary | True |
Requirements | The name(s) that a Practitioner is known by. Where there are multiple, the name that the practitioner is usually known as should be used in the display. |
Comments | The selection of the use property should ensure that there is a single usual name specified, and others use the nickname (alias), old, or other values as appropriate. In general, select the value to be used in the ResourceReference.display based on this:
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Practitioner.telecom | |
Definition | A contact detail for the practitioner, e.g. a telephone number or an email address. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | ContactPoint |
Summary | True |
Requirements | Need to know how to reach a practitioner independent to any roles the practitioner may have. |
Comments | Person may have multiple ways to be contacted with different uses or applicable periods. May need to have options for contacting the person urgently and to help with identification. These typically will have home numbers, or mobile numbers that are not role specific. |
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Practitioner.address | |
Definition | Address(es) of the practitioner that are not role specific (typically home address). Work addresses are not typically entered in this property as they are usually role dependent. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Address |
Summary | True |
Requirements | The home/mailing address of the practitioner is often required for employee administration purposes, and also for some rostering services where the start point (practitioners home) can be used in calculations. |
Comments | The PractitionerRole does not have an address value on it, as it is expected that the location property be used for this purpose (which has an address). |
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Practitioner.gender | |
Definition | Administrative Gender - the gender that the person is considered to have for administration and record keeping purposes. |
Cardinality | 0...0 |
Type | code |
Binding | The gender of a person used for administrative purposes. |
Summary | True |
Requirements | Needed to address the person correctly. |
Comments | Note that FHIR strings SHALL NOT exceed 1MB in size |
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Practitioner.birthDate | |
Definition | The date of birth for the practitioner. |
Cardinality | 0...0 |
Type | date |
Summary | True |
Requirements | Needed for identification. |
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Practitioner.photo | |
Definition | Image of the person. |
Cardinality | 0...0 |
Type | Attachment |
Requirements | Many EHR systems have the capability to capture an image of patients and personnel. Fits with newer social media usage too. |
Comments | When providing a summary view (for example with Observation.value[x]) Attachment should be represented with a brief display text such as "Signed Procedure Consent". |
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Practitioner.qualification | |
Definition | The official certifications, training, and licenses that authorize or otherwise pertain to the provision of care by the practitioner. For example, a medical license issued by a medical board authorizing the practitioner to practice medicine within a certian locality. |
Cardinality | 0...0 |
Type | BackboneElement |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.qualification.id | |
Definition | Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | string |
Mappings |
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Practitioner.qualification.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. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension |
Alias | extensions, user content |
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. |
Slicing | Unordered, Open, by url(Value) |
Invariants |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.qualification.modifierExtension | |
Definition | 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). |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Extension |
Modifier | True |
Summary | True |
Alias | extensions, user content, modifiers |
Requirements | Modifier extensions allow for extensions that cannot be safely ignored to be clearly distinguished from the vast majority of extensions which can be safely ignored. This promotes interoperability by eliminating the need for implementers to prohibit the presence of extensions. For further information, see the definition of modifier extensions. |
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. |
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Mappings |
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Practitioner.qualification.identifier | |
Definition | An identifier that applies to this person's qualification in this role. |
Cardinality | 0...* |
Type | Identifier |
Requirements | Often, specific identities are assigned for the qualification. |
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Practitioner.qualification.code | |
Definition | Coded representation of the qualification. |
Cardinality | 1...1 |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Binding | Specific qualification the practitioner has to provide a service. |
Comments | Not all terminology uses fit this general pattern. In some cases, models should not use CodeableConcept and use Coding directly and provide their own structure for managing text, codings, translations and the relationship between elements and pre- and post-coordination. |
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Practitioner.qualification.period | |
Definition | Period during which the qualification is valid. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | Period |
Requirements | Qualifications are often for a limited period of time, and can be revoked. |
Comments | A Period specifies a range of time; the context of use will specify whether the entire range applies (e.g. "the patient was an inpatient of the hospital for this time range") or one value from the range applies (e.g. "give to the patient between these two times"). Period is not used for a duration (a measure of elapsed time). See Duration. |
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Practitioner.qualification.issuer | |
Definition | Organization that regulates and issues the qualification. |
Cardinality | 0...1 |
Type | Reference(Organization) |
Comments | References SHALL be a reference to an actual FHIR resource, and SHALL be resolveable (allowing for access control, temporary unavailability, etc.). Resolution can be either by retrieval from the URL, or, where applicable by resource type, by treating an absolute reference as a canonical URL and looking it up in a local registry/repository. |
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Practitioner.communication | |
Definition | A language the practitioner can use in patient communication. |
Cardinality | 0...0 |
Type | CodeableConcept |
Binding | A human language. |
Requirements | Knowing which language a practitioner speaks can help in facilitating communication with patients. |
Comments | The structure aa-BB with this exact casing is one the most widely used notations for locale. However not all systems code this but instead have it as free text. Hence CodeableConcept instead of code as the data type. |
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<StructureDefinition xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> <url value="https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/PH_Practitioner" /> <name value="PH_Practitioner" /> <status value="draft" /> <fhirVersion value="4.0.1" /> <kind value="resource" /> <abstract value="false" /> <type value="Practitioner" /> <baseDefinition value="http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Practitioner" /> <derivation value="constraint" /> <differential> <element id="Practitioner"> <path value="Practitioner" /> <definition value="A person who is directly involved in the provisioning of healthcare." /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.extension:signature"> <path value="Practitioner.extension" /> <sliceName value="signature" /> <short value="Practitioner Signature" /> <definition value="Practitioner Signature" /> <comment value="This is an extension" /> <type> <code value="Extension" /> <profile value="https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Signature" /> </type> <isModifier value="false" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.extension:sex"> <path value="Practitioner.extension" /> <sliceName value="sex" /> <short value="The sex assigned at birth, as documented on the birth registration" /> <definition value="The sex assigned at birth, as documented on the birth registration" /> <comment value="This is an extension" /> <type> <code value="Extension" /> <profile value="https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Sex" /> </type> <isModifier value="false" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.gender"> <path value="Practitioner.gender" /> <max value="0" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.birthDate"> <path value="Practitioner.birthDate" /> <max value="0" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.photo"> <path value="Practitioner.photo" /> <max value="0" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.qualification"> <path value="Practitioner.qualification" /> <max value="0" /> </element> <element id="Practitioner.communication"> <path value="Practitioner.communication" /> <max value="0" /> </element> </differential> </StructureDefinition>
{ "resourceType": "StructureDefinition", "url": "https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/PH_Practitioner", "name": "PH_Practitioner", "status": "draft", "fhirVersion": "4.0.1", "kind": "resource", "abstract": false, "type": "Practitioner", "baseDefinition": "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Practitioner", "derivation": "constraint", "differential": { "element": [ { "id": "Practitioner", "path": "Practitioner", "definition": "A person who is directly involved in the provisioning of healthcare." }, { "id": "Practitioner.extension:signature", "path": "Practitioner.extension", "sliceName": "signature", "short": "Practitioner Signature", "definition": "Practitioner Signature", "comment": "This is an extension", "type": [ { "code": "Extension", "profile": [ "https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Signature" ] } ], "isModifier": false }, { "id": "Practitioner.extension:sex", "path": "Practitioner.extension", "sliceName": "sex", "short": "The sex assigned at birth, as documented on the birth registration", "definition": "The sex assigned at birth, as documented on the birth registration", "comment": "This is an extension", "type": [ { "code": "Extension", "profile": [ "https://example.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/Sex" ] } ], "isModifier": false }, { "id": "Practitioner.gender", "path": "Practitioner.gender", "max": "0" }, { "id": "Practitioner.birthDate", "path": "Practitioner.birthDate", "max": "0" }, { "id": "Practitioner.photo", "path": "Practitioner.photo", "max": "0" }, { "id": "Practitioner.qualification", "path": "Practitioner.qualification", "max": "0" }, { "id": "Practitioner.communication", "path": "Practitioner.communication", "max": "0" } ] } }