It is common for specific implementations to have valid requirements that are not part of the agreed common requirements modelled in the FHIR standard. Incorporating all specific use cases would make the standard too cumbersome. Therefore, additional valid requirements can be implemented as extensions to the agreed common resources. Further information about extensibility is available.
There are two basic types of extensions used by UK Core:
Simple extensions: A simple extension has a single Extension.urlelement and a single Extension.value[x] element, which may have many datatypes associated with it. See Extension Element for more details.
Complex extensions: A complex extension has a single Extension.urlelement and a single Extension.extension element. The latter contains a nested structure and are used for one of two reason:
The extension has complex content, which is presented as a nested tree of values and defined locally within the extension.
The extension is extended with an additional extension defined separately.
Currently the UK Core does not use modifierExtensions, so no guidance is given here on this type.
More information on modifierExtensions is available in the FHIR specification.
Metadata Usage
The list below contains the element differences between the UKCore and HL7.
active - Extensions that have been approved via Clinical and Technical Assurance
retired - Extensions that are no longer required
date
0..1
1..1
dateTime
Only the date, without time, is populated in the UK Core.
publisher
0..1
1..1
string
For all UK Core Extensions, where the base URL is https://fhir.hl7.org.uk, this will be HL7 UK.
contact
0..*
1..*
ContactDetail
See the Publisher, Contact & Copyright for details of how this SHALL be populated for all UK Core Extensions, where the base URL is https://fhir.hl7.org.uk/.
description
0..1
1..1
markdown
The UKCore mandates the use of this element.
purpose
0..1
1..1
markdown
The UKCore mandates the use of this element.
copyright
0..1
1..1
markdown
A copyright statement relating to the Extension and/or its contents.
Extensions are optional within the UK Core (minimum cardinality of 0), but certain use cases may mandate their use. Currently, all UK Core extensions are modelled as being optional at the extension root element. Where the use case requires an extension to be mandated, the Implementation Guide for that use case will specify the requirements.
Extension Bindings When the Value is a Coded type
If any of the extension.value elements is constrained to a coded type e.g. one of Code, Coding, or CodeableConcept, the extension.value SHALL be bound to a ValueSet.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
<descriptionvalue="Information that describes the patient's ethnic category." />
<purposevalue="This extension extends the Patient resource to support the exchange of ethnic category information, as a Codeable Concept, which is currently not supported by the FHIR standard." />
"description": "Information that describes the patient's ethnic category.",
"purpose": "This extension extends the Patient resource to support the exchange of ethnic category information, as a Codeable Concept, which is currently not supported by the FHIR standard.",
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
Alternate names
extensions, user content
Definition
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
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.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension:systemEffectiveDate.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
Alternate names
extensions, user content
Definition
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
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.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension:systemEffectiveDate.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
Alternate names
extensions, user content
Definition
System effective date for patient's death notification status.
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.
There are no (further) constraints on this element
Element id
Extension.extension:systemEffectiveDate.extension
Short description
Additional content defined by implementations
Alternate names
extensions, user content
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.
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.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
Comments
The definition may point directly to a computable or human-readable definition of the extensibility codes, or it may be a logical URI as declared in some other specification. The definition SHALL be a URI for the Structure Definition defining the extension.
<descriptionvalue="The patient's death notification status." />
<purposevalue="This extension extends the Patient resource to support the exchange of the patient's death notification status, which is currently not supported by the FHIR standard." />
"description": "The patient's death notification status.",
"purpose": "This extension extends the Patient resource to support the exchange of the patient's death notification status, which is currently not supported by the FHIR standard.",