NP Core Implementation Guide
1.0.0 - Release
NP Core Implementation Guide
1.0.0 - Release
NP Core Implementation Guide - Local Development build (v1.0.0) built by the FHIR (HL7® FHIR® Standard) Build Tools. See the Directory of published versions
This page describes the actors defined in the NP Core Implementation Guide and the obligations each actor has with respect to Must Support elements across NP Core profiles.
In FHIR Implementation Guides, an Actor is a named system role that participates in health information exchange. Actors are defined using the FHIR ActorDefinition resource and are referenced by obligation extensions on profile elements.
NP Core defines three system actors:
| Actor | Definition |
|---|---|
| NP Core Creator | A system that produces NP Core resources (e.g. HIS, EMR) |
| NP Core Consumer | A system that receives and uses NP Core resources (e.g. analytics platform, patient portal, decision support) |
| NP Core Server | A FHIR server that stores and exposes NP Core resources via the FHIR API |
Obligations express what each actor is required or expected to do with a specific element in a profile. They are recorded as extensions on profile elements using the FHIR obligation extension and complement Must Support (MS) flags.
Where MS flags state that an element is important, obligations state how each actor must behave with respect to that element.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
SHALL:able-to-populate |
The actor SHALL be capable of producing (populating) this element |
SHALL:populate-if-known |
The actor SHALL send this element whenever the information is known |
SHOULD:able-to-populate |
The actor SHOULD be capable of producing this element |
MAY:able-to-populate |
The actor MAY produce this element |
SHALL:handle |
The actor SHALL be capable of receiving and processing this element without error |
NP Core defines four obligation tiers for Must Support elements where obligations have been assigned. Some Must Support elements do not yet carry an obligation tier, so the generated profiles should be treated as the source of truth for current coverage:
| Tier | Creator | Consumer | Server | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required | SHALL:able-to-populate | SHALL:handle | SHALL:handle | MS elements every system must be able to supply; usually, but not always, mandatory (1..1 or 1..*) |
| Recommended | SHOULD:able-to-populate | SHALL:handle | SHALL:handle | Important MS elements where data may not always be available |
| Populate-if-known | SHALL:populate-if-known | SHALL:handle | SHALL:handle | Elements that MUST be sent when the data is known, but are not always collected |
| Optional | MAY:able-to-populate | SHALL:handle | SHALL:handle | Optional MS elements |
Obligation tiers are declared on an element, and not on its slices. A slice inherits its parent element's tier.
Full definitions for each actor are available in the Artifacts index: