This version of the PS-CA Implementation Guide has been superseded by a newer version. Other releases of the PS-CA Implementation Guide may be found on a table on the Home Page of this Project.
Must Support Definition
In the context of the PS-CA, Must Support flags on any data element SHALL be interpreted as follows:
Implementers conforming to the PS-CA Implementation Guide, when creating patient summary content
- To be considered a conformant vendor, you SHALL show that your system is capable of producing a value for that element
- To produce a conformant instance you, SHALL show that your system can send/relay the data if available and appropriate
Implementers conforming to the PS-CA Implementation Guide, when receiving patient summary content
- SHALL be capable of processing resource instances containing Must Support data elements without generating an error or causing the application to fail.
- SHOULD be capable of displaying Must Support data elements for human use, or processing (e.g., storing) them for other purposes.
- SHALL be able to process resource instances containing Must Support data elements asserting missing information.
Note: While coding is not currently considered must support in Version 1.0, implementers that support codings should still send the codings for codeable concepts if they are available and receivers should not produce failures or rejections if codings are included in the patient summary in the first version (a base tenet of FHIR®).
Additionally, vendors should expect that some jurisdictions may further constrain support of this element within the context of their own jurisdictional content