This resource contains one or more results, findings, or measurements to inform a patient’s clinical condition (e.g., vitals, imaging results, lab results, device measurements).
Observations can help to identify baselines and patterns or define personal characteristics for a patient (e.g., height, weight, eye color). A DiagnosticReport resource may reference Observation resources to provide the metadata for a complete diagnostic report.
You can review, retrieve, create, or update observations for a patient.
_search
Query for one or more defined observations for a patient.
cURL request example
Request Body Schema
- patientArray of string
The patient about whom this Observation was recorded
- patient.identifierArray of string
One or more external identifiers for the patient
- categoryArray of string
The categorization of the Observation
- codeArray of string
The code of the observation type
- dateArray of string
Clinically relevant time/time-period for Observation
- effectiveArray of string
Clinically relevant time/time-period for Observation (alias for 'date')
- identifierArray of string
An identifier for the observation
- resourceTyperequired, string
Identifies the type of the resource
Value:Bundle
- typerequired, string
Identifies this bundle as a response to a search
Value:searchset
- totalrequired, number
The total number of matches
- entryArray of Observation or Other
A resource matching the search criteria or related to a matching resource
- resourcerequired, object
Measurements and simple assertions made about a patient.
- resourceTyperequired, string
Identifies the type of the resource
Value:Observation
- statusrequired, string
The status of the result value.
Possible Values:registered
,preliminary
,final
,amended
,corrected
,cancelled
,entered-in-error
,unknown
- categoryrequired, Array of SocialHistory or Other
A code that classifies the general type of observation being made.
- codingrequired, Array of object
- coderequired, stringValue:
social-history
- systemrequired, stringValue:
http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/observation-category
- coderequired, object
Describes what was observed. Sometimes this is called the observation "name".
- codingArray of object
A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.
- systemstring
The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
- codestring
A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).
- textstring
A human language representation of the concept as seen/selected/uttered by the user who entered the data and/or which represents the intended meaning of the user.
- idstring
The logical id of the resource, as used in the URL for the resource. Once assigned, this value never changes.
- identifierArray of object
A unique identifier assigned to this observation.
- extensionArray of Boolean, String, CodeableConcept, Coding
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.
- urlrequired, string
Source of the definition for the extension code - a logical name or a URL.
- valueBooleanboolean
A single value for the extension.
- usestring
The purpose of this identifier.
Possible Values:usual
,official
,temp
,secondary
,old (If known)
- systemstring
Establishes the namespace for the value - that is, a URL that describes a set values that are unique.
- valuestring
The portion of the identifier typically relevant to the user and which is unique within the context of the system.
- subjectobject
The patient, or group of patients, location, or device this observation is about and into whose record the observation is placed. If the actual focus of the observation is different from the subject (or a sample of, part, or region of the subject), the
focus
element or thecode
itself specifies the actual focus of the observation.Must be a resource of type
Patient
.- referencestring
A reference to another resource. This is typically either a relative reference which includes the resource type and ID, or an internal reference which starts with
#
and refers to a contained resource.
- encounterobject
The healthcare event (e.g. a patient and healthcare provider interaction) during which this observation is made.
Must be a resource of type
Encounter
.- referencestring
A reference to another resource. This is typically either a relative reference which includes the resource type and ID, or an internal reference which starts with
#
and refers to a contained resource.
- dataAbsentReasonobject
Provides a reason why the expected value in the element Observation.value[x] is missing.
- codingArray of object
A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.
- systemstring
The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
- codestring
A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).
- textstring
A human language representation of the concept as seen/selected/uttered by the user who entered the data and/or which represents the intended meaning of the user.
- effectiveDateTimestring
The time or time-period the observed value is asserted as being true. For biological subjects - e.g. human patients - this is usually called the "physiologically relevant time". This is usually either the time of the procedure or of specimen collection, but very often the source of the date/time is not known, only the date/time itself.
Only one of
effectiveDateTime
,effectivePeriod
may be present. - effectivePeriodobject
The time or time-period the observed value is asserted as being true. For biological subjects - e.g. human patients - this is usually called the "physiologically relevant time". This is usually either the time of the procedure or of specimen collection, but very often the source of the date/time is not known, only the date/time itself.
Only one of
effectiveDateTime
,effectivePeriod
may be present.- startstring
The start of the period. The boundary is inclusive.
- endstring
The end of the period. If the end of the period is missing, it means no end was known or planned at the time the instance was created. The start may be in the past, and the end date in the future, which means that period is expected/planned to end at that time.
- valueCodeableConceptobject
The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.
Only one of
valueCodeableConcept
,valueString
may be present.- codingArray of object
A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.
- systemstring
The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
- codestring
A symbol in syntax defined by the system. The symbol may be a predefined code or an expression in a syntax defined by the coding system (e.g. post-coordination).
- textstring
A human language representation of the concept as seen/selected/uttered by the user who entered the data and/or which represents the intended meaning of the user.
- valueStringstring
The information determined as a result of making the observation, if the information has a simple value.
Only one of
valueCodeableConcept
,valueString
may be present.
- searchrequired, object
Information about the search process that lead to the creation of this entry.
- moderequired, string
Identifies the Observation as matching the search parameters
Value:match
Response to an Observation search operation for social history-related resources