FHIR Resource Definition: Structure and Constraints for Location Information (ror-location)
Union of ror-location and ror-location
Summary
Esante has published a FHIR resource definition for handling 'location' information in healthcare facilities. This definition allows for the structured exchange of data, including location details and contact points, by conforming to specific profiles.
Details
This document is the specification for a FHIR resource concerning 'location' information (ror-location), provided by Esante (interop.esante.gouv.fr) in France. The definition aims to integrate various datasets by adhering to specific profiles. The included elements feature basic metadata alongside location-specific details such as 'name', 'description', and 'identifier'. Furthermore, a dedicated section for contact points (telecom) is provided, allowing the recording of detailed usage purposes ('use') and priorities ('rank') for different communication methods like phone or fax. Technically, in addition to standard FHIR elements, it incorporates French-specific concepts such as `operationalStatus`, `mode`, and `type`. This allows the representation of practical context—such as 'whether it is currently operational' or 'what purpose the location serves'—as structured data, going beyond mere geographical coordinates. This specification provides a foundation for sharing information about 'where something is located' in a structured format, which is crucial for interoperability and data exchange between electronic health records systems.
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