Where to look: a finder

A question, and where to look

You now have the map. The last lesson is a finder: when you have a question about FHIR, which part of the specification answers it?

A question, and where to look

Match the question to the place. What is a resource, and what does one look like? The resource index, and a resource page such as Patient. How do I call a server? The RESTful API page. Which ways can data move? The exchange module. Which codes are allowed here? The terminology pages and the binding on the element. How do I adapt FHIR for my setting? Profiling and implementation guides. And how stable is this part? The versions page, and the status on each page.

• What does a resource look like? · A resource page, e.g. Patient · file · navy
• How do I call a server? · The RESTful API page · share · navy
• Which ways can data move? · The Exchange module · layers · amber
• Which codes are allowed here? · Terminology and bindings · tag · slate
• How do I adapt FHIR to my setting? · Profiling and guides · gear · slate
• How stable is this part? · The Versions page · lock · slate

Three places on every resource page

When you open a resource page, three places help most. First, the definition, on the content tab: the logical table or the diagram views are the easiest to read. Second, the examples tab. Seeing elements used to convey real data is often more useful than the definitions. And third, the profiles tab, to see how the resource can be constrained for particular contexts.

• 1 · 0.0 · 0.04 · 0.074 · 0.32
• 2 · 0.086 · 0.04 · 0.062 · 0.32
• 3 · 0.598 · 0.04 · 0.056 · 0.32
• 1 · The definition · The Content tab: logical table or diagram.
• 2 · The Examples tab · Elements used for real data.
• 3 · The Profiles tab · How it is constrained for a context.

Where each lesson fits

Here is the whole course as a map. What FHIR is: what it is for, its map, and who starts where. How data is built: resources, elements and datatypes, references and bundles. How data moves: the REST API, the six ways to exchange, and terminology. And adapting and changing: profiles, versions and maturity, and the paper picture that ties it together.

• What it is · navy
• How data is built · amber
• How data moves · slate
• Adapting it · deep

Check yourself

Pause and think. Which tab on a resource page shows elements used to convey real data? The answer: the examples tab.

• The Examples tab
• The Profiles tab
• The Mappings tab
• The Operations tab

Keep these in mind

Start with the question you are asking. Each question points to a part of the specification. On a resource page, look at the definition, the examples, and the profiles. And come back to the course map when you are unsure.

• Start with the question you are asking
• Each question points to a part of the specification
• On a resource page: definition, examples, profiles
• Come back to the course map when unsure