Skip to content

Medication Dispense Profile

Canonical../StructureDefinition/nexus-emr-core-medicationdispense
Statusdraft · 1.26.0
BaseMedicationDispense (constraint)
SourceFSH · JSON

Nexus EMR profile for MedicationDispense resources, primarily for recording dispense events. Aligns with CII N1/N2 requirements and Nexus EMR standards.

Elements / Details

Every element this profile touches, with its full definition. Element names in the tables link here.

MedicationDispense

Short Nexus EMR Medication Dispense Core
Definition Represents records of medications provided to a patient, capturing key details like medication, quantity, dosage, and dispensing organization using standard Nexus EMR references. Uses instance-specific identifiers for tracking medication dispense records across systems.
Cardinality 0..*
Invariants dom-2, dom-3, dom-4, dom-5, dom-6, mdd-1, nexus-note-extension-not-where-native

MedicationDispense.id

Short Logical id of this artifact
Definition The logical id of the resource, as used in the URL for the resource. Once assigned, this value never changes.
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.
Cardinality 0..1
Type http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.meta

Short Metadata about the resource
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
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.meta.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.meta.versionId

Short Version specific identifier
Definition The version specific identifier, as it appears in the version portion of the URL. This value changes when the resource is created, updated, or deleted.
Comments The server assigns this value, and ignores what the client specifies, except in the case that the server is imposing version integrity on updates/deletes.
Cardinality 0..1
Type id
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.lastUpdated

Short When the resource version last changed
Definition When the resource last changed - e.g. when the version changed.
Comments This value is always populated except when the resource is first being created. The server / resource manager sets this value; what a client provides is irrelevant. This is equivalent to the HTTP Last-Modified and SHOULD have the same value on a read interaction.
Cardinality 0..1
Type instant
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.source

Short Identifies EMR instance & pipeline version the resource came from
Definition A URI that identifies the EMR pipeline and version from which this resource originated. This tells you which EMR instance (recommend using the instance identifier), and the version of the pipeline code/transformations.
Comments In the provenance resource, this corresponds to Provenance.entity.what[x]. The exact use of the source (and the implied Provenance.entity.role) is left to implementer discretion. Only one nominated source is allowed; for additional provenance details, a full Provenance resource should be used. This element can be used to indicate where the current master source of a resource that has a canonical URL if the resource is no longer hosted at the canonical URL.
Cardinality 0..1
Type uri
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.profile

Short Profiles this resource claims to conform to
Definition A list of profiles (references to StructureDefinition resources) that this resource claims to conform to. The URL is a reference to StructureDefinition.url.
Comments It is up to the server and/or other infrastructure of policy to determine whether/how these claims are verified and/or updated over time. The list of profile URLs is a set.
Cardinality 0..*
Type canonical
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.security

Short Security Labels applied to this resource
Definition Security labels applied to this resource. These tags connect specific resources to the overall security policy and infrastructure.
Comments The security labels can be updated without changing the stated version of the resource. The list of security labels is a set. Uniqueness is based the system/code, and version and display are ignored.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Binding security-labels (extensible)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.meta.tag

Short Tags applied to this resource
Definition Tags applied to this resource. Tags are intended to be used to identify and relate resources to process and workflow, and applications are not required to consider the tags when interpreting the meaning of a resource.
Comments The tags can be updated without changing the stated version of the resource. The list of tags is a set. Uniqueness is based the system/code, and version and display are ignored.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Binding common-tags (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.implicitRules

Short A set of rules under which this content was created
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.
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.
Cardinality 0..1
Type uri
Modifier yes — This element is labeled as a modifier because the implicit rules may provide additional knowledge about the resource that modifies it's meaning or interpretation
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.language

Short Language of the resource content
Definition The base language in which the resource is written.
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).
Cardinality 0..1
Type code
Binding languages (preferred)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.text

Short Narrative
Definition A human-readable narrative summary of the NexusEmrCoreMedicationDispense resource for human interpretation.
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.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Narrative
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1
Also called narrative, html, xhtml, display

MedicationDispense.contained

Short Contained, inline Resources
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.
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Resource
Also called inline resources, anonymous resources, contained resources

MedicationDispense.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.modifierExtension

Short Extensions that cannot be ignored
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).
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Modifier yes — Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the resource that contains them
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.identifier

Short Business identifier(s) for medicationdispense
Definition Unique identifiers for the medicationdispense. A business identifier is recommended but not required (identifier is 0..*). Where available, carry the source-system identifier using the most appropriate system URI. No specific canonical system is mandated. A source system's own identifier SHOULD be carried alongside this one, flagged use = secondary. See Carrying the raw code.
Comments This is a business identifier, not a resource identifier.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Identifier
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.identifier.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.identifier.use

Short usual | official | temp | secondary | old (If known)
Definition The purpose of this identifier.
Requirements Allows the appropriate identifier for a particular context of use to be selected from among a set of identifiers.
Comments Applications can assume that an identifier is permanent unless it explicitly says that it is temporary.
Cardinality 0..1
Type code
Modifier yes — This is labeled as "Is Modifier" because applications should not mistake a temporary id for a permanent one.
Binding identifier-use (required)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.type

Short Description of identifier
Definition A coded type for the identifier that can be used to determine which identifier to use for a specific purpose.
Requirements Allows users to make use of identifiers when the identifier system is not known.
Comments This element deals only with general categories of identifiers. It SHOULD not be used for codes that correspond 1..1 with the Identifier.system. Some identifiers may fall into multiple categories due to common usage. Where the system is known, a type is unnecessary because the type is always part of the system definition. However systems often need to handle identifiers where the system is not known. There is not a 1:1 relationship between type and system, since many different systems have the same type.
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept
Binding identifier-type (extensible)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.system

Short The namespace for the identifier value
Definition Establishes the namespace for the value - that is, a URL that describes a set values that are unique.
Requirements There are many sets of identifiers. To perform matching of two identifiers, we need to know what set we're dealing with. The system identifies a particular set of unique identifiers.
Comments Identifier.system is always case sensitive.
Cardinality 1..1
Type uri
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.value

Short The value that is unique
Definition The portion of the identifier typically relevant to the user and which is unique within the context of the system.
Comments If the value is a full URI, then the system SHALL be urn:ietf:rfc:3986. The value's primary purpose is computational mapping. As a result, it may be normalized for comparison purposes (e.g. removing non-significant whitespace, dashes, etc.) A value formatted for human display can be conveyed using the Rendered Value extension. Identifier.value is to be treated as case sensitive unless knowledge of the Identifier.system allows the processer to be confident that non-case-sensitive processing is safe.
Cardinality 1..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.period

Short Time period when id is/was valid for use
Definition Time period during which identifier is/was valid for use.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Period
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.identifier.assigner

Short Organization that issued id (may be just text)
Definition Organization that issued/manages the identifier.
Comments The Identifier.assigner may omit the .reference element and only contain a .display element reflecting the name or other textual information about the assigning organization.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Reference(Organization)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.partOf

Short Event that dispense is part of
Definition The procedure that trigger the dispense.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(Procedure)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.status

Short preparation | in-progress | cancelled | on-hold | completed | entered-in-error | stopped
Definition A code specifying the state of the dispense event.
Comments This is a modifier element. The status affects how the dispense should be interpreted.
Cardinality 1..1
Type code
Must Support yes
Modifier yes — This element is labelled as a modifier because it is a status element that contains status entered-in-error which means that the resource should not be treated as valid
Binding medicationdispense-status (required)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.statusReason[x]

Short Why a dispense was not performed
Definition Indicates the reason why a dispense was not performed.
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept, Reference(DetectedIssue)
Binding medicationdispense-status-reason (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.category

Short Dispense category with raw code support
Definition Indicates the type of medication dispense (e.g., inpatient, outpatient, community). RECOMMENDED: Standard terminology codes when available OPTIONAL: Raw EMR codes for source system preservation
Comments The category can be used to include where the medication is expected to be consumed or other types of dispenses. Invariants can be used to bind to different value sets when profiling to bind.
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept
Must Support yes
Binding medicationdispense-category (preferred)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x]

Short Medication with raw code support
Definition Identifies the medication that was dispensed. REQUIRED: text element for human readability RECOMMENDED: an ingredient-level code whenever the source has one. CCDD is preferred; where there is no CCDD the Health Canada DPD active-ingredient group number is the one to carry, with ATC for class-level records. This is the level at which a dispense can be compared to the prescription it fills, to another dispense, or to a recorded allergy. RECOMMENDED: the DIN when the source has one, which says WHICH marketed product was handed over. A dispense is the one place in the medication chain where the product actually matters, because the DIN identifies what the patient physically received. OPTIONAL: Raw EMR codes for source system preservation RxNorm is not recommended here. It is a US drug vocabulary; Canadian sources carry DIN at the product level and CCDD at the ingredient level, and a Canadian dispense record has no route to an RxNorm code that does not go through a mapping this specification does not define. The slicing is open, so a source that genuinely holds one may still carry it as an unsliced coding. The text element ensures human readability even when coded values are not recognized.
Comments Where this code was mapped from a source system's own vocabulary, carry the raw coding alongside the mapped one, flagged userSelected = true. See Carrying the raw code.
Cardinality 1..1
Type CodeableConcept
Must Support yes
Binding medication-codes (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.medication[x].extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding

Short Code defined by a terminology system
Definition A reference to a code defined by a terminology system.
Requirements Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.
Comments Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations, or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information. Ordering of codings is undefined and SHALL NOT be used to infer meaning. Generally, at most only one of the coding values will be labeled as UserSelected = true.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din

Short The Health Canada Drug Identification Number for the marketed product
Definition Drug Identification Number, when the source has one. Product level: it identifies one manufacturer's product, so it is the right code to carry and the wrong code to match on. The representative-DIN strategy this follows originates in the PrescribeIT specification.
Requirements Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.
Comments SYSTEM URI CHANGED. This specification previously fixed http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/ca-hc-din on this slice, and stored data and existing integrations may still carry that value. The system is now http://hl7.org/fhir/NamingSystem/ca-hc-din, which is the URI HL7 Terminology records as the official canonical going forward and the URI the code system is served at; http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/ca-hc-din is retained upstream for backward compatibility. The stable identity across every spelling is the OID 2.16.840.1.113883.5.1105. WHAT TO DO: write the NamingSystem form, and be liberal in what you accept when reading -- treat all of these spellings as the same code system until your own data no longer carries the others.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.system

Short Identity of the terminology system
Definition The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
Requirements Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.
Comments Fixed to http://hl7.org/fhir/NamingSystem/ca-hc-din. A reader encountering http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/ca-hc-din on stored data is looking at the URI this specification fixed previously; it names the same code system (OID 2.16.840.1.113883.5.1105) and should be accepted as equivalent on ingest.
Cardinality 1..1
Type uri
Fixed value http://hl7.org/fhir/NamingSystem/ca-hc-din
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.version

Short Version of the system - if relevant
Definition The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.
Comments Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.code

Short Symbol in syntax defined by the system
Definition 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).
Requirements Need to refer to a particular code in the system.
Cardinality 1..1
Type code
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.display

Short Representation defined by the system
Definition A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.
Requirements Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:din.userSelected

Short If this coding was chosen directly by the user
Definition Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).
Requirements This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.
Comments Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.
Cardinality 0..1
Type boolean
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd

Short CCDD — what the drug IS (preferred ingredient-level code)
Definition Canadian Clinical Drug Data Set code. Ingredient level, and the code to prefer for any cross-record comparison: same-drug detection, duplicate therapy, and matching against a recorded allergy. Codes are not enumerated in this IG; the slot and the system are declared here and the content is governed by its publisher.
Requirements Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.
Comments Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations, or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information. Ordering of codings is undefined and SHALL NOT be used to infer meaning. Generally, at most only one of the coding values will be labeled as UserSelected = true.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.system

Short Identity of the terminology system
Definition The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
Requirements Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.
Comments The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.
Cardinality 1..1
Type uri
Fixed value http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/hc-CCDD
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.version

Short Version of the system - if relevant
Definition The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.
Comments Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.code

Short Symbol in syntax defined by the system
Definition 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).
Requirements Need to refer to a particular code in the system.
Cardinality 1..1
Type code
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.display

Short Representation defined by the system
Definition A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.
Requirements Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:ccdd.userSelected

Short If this coding was chosen directly by the user
Definition Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).
Requirements This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.
Comments Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.
Cardinality 0..1
Type boolean
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc

Short ATC classification — coarser ingredient-level grouping
Definition WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical code. Ingredient level but coarser than CCDD, and useful for class-level questions. Codes are not enumerated in this IG.
Requirements Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.
Comments Codes may be defined very casually in enumerations, or code lists, up to very formal definitions such as SNOMED CT - see the HL7 v3 Core Principles for more information. Ordering of codings is undefined and SHALL NOT be used to infer meaning. Generally, at most only one of the coding values will be labeled as UserSelected = true.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.system

Short Identity of the terminology system
Definition The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
Requirements Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.
Comments The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.
Cardinality 1..1
Type uri
Fixed value http://www.whocc.no/atc
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.version

Short Version of the system - if relevant
Definition The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.
Comments Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.code

Short Symbol in syntax defined by the system
Definition 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).
Requirements Need to refer to a particular code in the system.
Cardinality 1..1
Type code
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.display

Short Representation defined by the system
Definition A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.
Requirements Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:atc.userSelected

Short If this coding was chosen directly by the user
Definition Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).
Requirements This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.
Comments Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.
Cardinality 0..1
Type boolean
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign

Short The active-ingredient group identifying the drug's ingredient and strength
Definition Health Canada Drug Product Database active-ingredient group number, ten digits. It gathers the products that share an active-ingredient composition across manufacturer and salt form, so two medication records carrying the same number are the same drug at the same strength, and it covers the whole DIN space -- which makes it the code to match on when CCDD is absent, in practice most legacy EMR medication lists where a DIN and a line of free text is all that exists. The number decomposes as [2 digits: number of active ingredients][5 digits: active-ingredient group][3 digits: strength group], so it is strength-specific. Matching a medication against an allergen coded with the five-digit active-ingredient group (v3-hc-aigc, which AllergyIntolerance binds) means comparing positions 3 through 7 of this number, NOT the number itself. Codes are not enumerated in this IG.
Requirements Allows for alternative encodings within a code system, and translations to other code systems.
Comments The DPD active-ingredient group number (AIGN), reachable from a DIN at a given strength.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Coding
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.system

Short Identity of the terminology system
Definition The identification of the code system that defines the meaning of the symbol in the code.
Requirements Need to be unambiguous about the source of the definition of the symbol.
Comments The URI may be an OID (urn:oid:...) or a UUID (urn:uuid:...). OIDs and UUIDs SHALL be references to the HL7 OID registry. Otherwise, the URI should come from HL7's list of FHIR defined special URIs or it should reference to some definition that establishes the system clearly and unambiguously.
Cardinality 1..1
Type uri
Fixed value http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/v3-hc-aign
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.version

Short Version of the system - if relevant
Definition The version of the code system which was used when choosing this code. Note that a well-maintained code system does not need the version reported, because the meaning of codes is consistent across versions. However this cannot consistently be assured, and when the meaning is not guaranteed to be consistent, the version SHOULD be exchanged.
Comments Where the terminology does not clearly define what string should be used to identify code system versions, the recommendation is to use the date (expressed in FHIR date format) on which that version was officially published as the version date.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.code

Short Symbol in syntax defined by the system
Definition 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).
Requirements Need to refer to a particular code in the system.
Cardinality 1..1
Type code
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.display

Short Representation defined by the system
Definition A representation of the meaning of the code in the system, following the rules of the system.
Requirements Need to be able to carry a human-readable meaning of the code for readers that do not know the system.
Cardinality 0..1
Type string
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].coding:aign.userSelected

Short If this coding was chosen directly by the user
Definition Indicates that this coding was chosen by a user directly - e.g. off a pick list of available items (codes or displays).
Requirements This has been identified as a clinical safety criterium - that this exact system/code pair was chosen explicitly, rather than inferred by the system based on some rules or language processing.
Comments Amongst a set of alternatives, a directly chosen code is the most appropriate starting point for new translations. There is some ambiguity about what exactly 'directly chosen' implies, and trading partner agreement may be needed to clarify the use of this element and its consequences more completely.
Cardinality 0..1
Type boolean
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.medication[x].text

Short The medication as written, in human-readable form
Definition Plain text representation of the dispensed medication, required for all entries
Requirements The codes from the terminologies do not always capture the correct meaning with all the nuances of the human using them, or sometimes there is no appropriate code at all. In these cases, the text is used to capture the full meaning of the source.
Comments Required.
Cardinality 1..1
Type string
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.subject

Short Who the dispense is for
Definition The patient who received the dispensed medication. Must reference using Nexus EMR patient identifier.
Comments References should use identifier-based references following Nexus EMR patterns.
Cardinality 1..1
Type Reference(Patient Profile)
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.context

Short Encounter / Episode associated with event
Definition The encounter or episode of care that establishes the context for this event.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Reference(Encounter | EpisodeOfCare)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.supportingInformation

Short Information that supports the dispensing of the medication
Definition Additional information that supports the medication being dispensed.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(Resource)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.performer

Short Who performed the dispense
Definition Indicates who or what performed the dispensing event.
Comments May be a pharmacist, pharmacy technician, or dispensing organization.
Cardinality 0..*
Type BackboneElement
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.performer.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.performer.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.performer.modifierExtension

Short Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
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).
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Modifier yes — Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content, modifiers

MedicationDispense.performer.function

Short Who performed the dispense and what they did
Definition Distinguishes the type of performer in the dispense. For example, date enterer, packager, final checker.
Requirements Allows disambiguation of the types of involvement of different performers.
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept
Binding medicationdispense-performer-function (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.performer.actor

Short Individual or organization who performed dispense
Definition The device, practitioner, etc. who performed the action. It should be assumed that the actor is the dispenser of the medication.
Cardinality 1..1
Type Reference(PractitionerRole Profile | Practitioner Profile | Organization Profile)
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.location

Short Where the dispense occurred
Definition The principal physical location where the dispense was performed.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Reference(Location)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.authorizingPrescription

Short Prescription that authorized this dispense
Definition Indicates the medication request that is being dispensed against.
Comments Links the dispense to the original prescription order.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(MedicationRequest Profile)
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.type

Short Dispense type with raw code support
Definition Indicates the type of dispensing event. RECOMMENDED: Standard terminology codes when available OPTIONAL: Raw EMR codes for source system preservation
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept
Must Support yes
Binding v3-ActPharmacySupplyType (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.quantity

Short Amount dispensed
Definition The amount of medication that has been dispensed.
Comments Includes both the numerical value and the unit of measure.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Quantity(SimpleQuantity)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.daysSupply

Short Amount of medication for period of time
Definition The amount of medication expressed as a timing amount.
Comments Typically represents the number of days the dispensed quantity will last.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Quantity(SimpleQuantity)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.whenPrepared

Short When product was prepared
Definition The time when the dispensed product was packaged and reviewed.
Comments May be different from when handed over to patient.
Cardinality 0..1
Type dateTime
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.whenHandedOver

Short When product was given - Maps to CII N2 Medication_Dispensed_Date
Definition The time the dispensed product was provided to the patient or their representative.
Comments This is the actual dispense date when medication was provided to patient.
Cardinality 1..1
Type dateTime
Must Support yes
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.destination

Short Where the medication was sent
Definition Identification of the facility/location where the medication was shipped to, as part of the dispense event.
Cardinality 0..1
Type Reference(Location)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.receiver

Short Who collected the medication
Definition Identifies the person who picked up the medication. This will usually be a patient or their caregiver, but some cases exist where it can be a healthcare professional.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(Patient | Practitioner)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.note

Short Additional information about dispense
Definition Extra information about the dispense that could not be conveyed in other attributes.
Comments May include pharmacist counseling notes or special instructions.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Annotation
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.dosageInstruction

Short How medication should be taken
Definition Indicates how the medication is to be used by the patient.
Comments May include dose, frequency, route, and other administration instructions.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Dosage
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.substitution

Short Whether a substitution was performed on the dispense
Definition Indicates whether or not substitution was made as part of the dispense. In some cases, substitution will be expected but does not happen, in other cases substitution is not expected but does happen. This block explains what substitution did or did not happen and why. If nothing is specified, substitution was not done.
Cardinality 0..1
Type BackboneElement
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.substitution.id

Short Unique id for inter-element referencing
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 http://hl7.org/fhirpath/System.String

MedicationDispense.substitution.extension

Short Additional content defined by implementations
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content

MedicationDispense.substitution.modifierExtension

Short Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
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).
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.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Extension
Modifier yes — Modifier extensions are expected to modify the meaning or interpretation of the element that contains them
Invariants ele-1, ext-1
Also called extensions, user content, modifiers

MedicationDispense.substitution.wasSubstituted

Short Whether a substitution was or was not performed on the dispense
Definition True if the dispenser dispensed a different drug or product from what was prescribed.
Cardinality 1..1
Type boolean
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.substitution.type

Short Code signifying whether a different drug was dispensed from what was prescribed
Definition A code signifying whether a different drug was dispensed from what was prescribed.
Cardinality 0..1
Type CodeableConcept
Binding v3-ActSubstanceAdminSubstitutionCode (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.substitution.reason

Short Why was substitution made
Definition Indicates the reason for the substitution (or lack of substitution) from what was prescribed.
Cardinality 0..*
Type CodeableConcept
Binding v3-SubstanceAdminSubstitutionReason (example)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.substitution.responsibleParty

Short Who is responsible for the substitution
Definition The person or organization that has primary responsibility for the substitution.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(Practitioner | PractitionerRole)
Invariants ele-1

MedicationDispense.detectedIssue

Short Clinical issue with action
Definition Indicates an actual or potential clinical issue with or between one or more active or proposed clinical actions for a patient; e.g. drug-drug interaction, duplicate therapy, dosage alert etc.
Comments This element can include a detected issue that has been identified either by a decision support system or by a clinician and may include information on the steps that were taken to address the issue.
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(DetectedIssue)
Invariants ele-1
Also called Contraindication, Drug Utilization Review (DUR), Alert

MedicationDispense.eventHistory

Short A list of relevant lifecycle events
Definition A summary of the events of interest that have occurred, such as when the dispense was verified.
Comments This might not include provenances for all versions of the request – only those deemed “relevant” or important. This SHALL NOT include the Provenance associated with this current version of the resource. (If that provenance is deemed to be a “relevant” change, it will need to be added as part of a later update. Until then, it can be queried directly as the Provenance that points to this version using _revinclude All Provenances should have some historical version of this Request as their subject.).
Cardinality 0..*
Type Reference(Provenance)
Invariants ele-1