ExternalObservation (CDA Class) - Clinical Document Architecture v2.0.1-sd-202510-matchbox-patch

• Table of Contents
• Artifacts Summary
• ExternalObservation (CDA Class)

Logical Model: ExternalObservation (CDA Class)

Official URL:http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/ExternalObservation	Version:2.0.1-sd-202510-matchbox-patch
Active as of 2025-10-29	Computable Name:ExternalObservation

ExternalObservation is a derivative of the RIM Observation class, used for representing external coded and other observations.

Usages:

• Use this Logical Model: Reference (CDA Class)

You can also check for usages in the FHIR IG Statistics

Formal Views of Template Content

Description of Template, Differentials, Snapshots and how the different presentations work.

Other representations of profile: CSV, Excel

Resource Content

{
  "resourceType" : "StructureDefinition",
  "id" : "ExternalObservation",
  "extension" : [
    {
      "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/logical-target",
      "_valueBoolean" : {
        "extension" : [
          {
            "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/data-absent-reason",
            "valueCode" : "not-applicable"
          }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/xml-namespace",
      "valueUri" : "urn:hl7-org:v3"
    },
    {
      "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/xml-name",
      "valueString" : "externalObservation"
    },
    {
      "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/logical-container",
      "valueUri" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/ClinicalDocument"
    },
    {
      "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/type-profile-style",
      "valueCode" : "cda"
    }
  ],
  "url" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/ExternalObservation",
  "version" : "2.0.1-sd-202510-matchbox-patch",
  "name" : "ExternalObservation",
  "title" : "ExternalObservation (CDA Class)",
  "status" : "active",
  "experimental" : false,
  "date" : "2025-10-29T22:15:57+01:00",
  "publisher" : "Health Level 7",
  "contact" : [
    {
      "name" : "HL7 International - Structured Documents",
      "telecom" : [
        {
          "system" : "url",
          "value" : "http://www.hl7.org/Special/committees/structure"
        },
        {
          "system" : "email",
          "value" : "structdog@lists.HL7.org"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "description" : "ExternalObservation is a derivative of the RIM Observation class, used for representing external coded and other observations.",
  "fhirVersion" : "5.0.0",
  "mapping" : [
    {
      "identity" : "rim",
      "uri" : "http://hl7.org/v3",
      "name" : "RIM Mapping"
    }
  ],
  "kind" : "logical",
  "abstract" : false,
  "type" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/ExternalObservation",
  "baseDefinition" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/InfrastructureRoot",
  "derivation" : "specialization",
  "differential" : {
    "element" : [
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation",
        "min" : 1,
        "max" : "1"
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.classCode",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.classCode",
        "representation" : ["xmlAttr"],
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "1",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "code",
            "profile" : ["http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/cs-simple"]
          }
        ],
        "defaultValueCode" : "OBS",
        "binding" : {
          "strength" : "required",
          "valueSet" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/ValueSet/CDAActClassObservation"
        }
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.moodCode",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.moodCode",
        "representation" : ["xmlAttr"],
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "1",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "code",
            "profile" : ["http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/cs-simple"]
          }
        ],
        "fixedCode" : "EVN",
        "binding" : {
          "strength" : "required",
          "valueSet" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/ValueSet/CDAActMood"
        }
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.id",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.id",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "*",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/II"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.code",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.code",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "1",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/CD"
          }
        ],
        "binding" : {
          "strength" : "example",
          "valueSet" : "http://terminology.hl7.org/ValueSet/v3-ActCode"
        }
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.text",
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.text",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "1",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/ED"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "id" : "ExternalObservation.sdtcAuthor",
        "extension" : [
          {
            "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/xml-namespace",
            "valueUri" : "urn:hl7-org:sdtc"
          },
          {
            "url" : "http://hl7.org/fhir/tools/StructureDefinition/xml-name",
            "valueString" : "author"
          }
        ],
        "path" : "ExternalObservation.sdtcAuthor",
        "min" : 0,
        "max" : "*",
        "type" : [
          {
            "code" : "http://hl7.org/cda/stds/core/StructureDefinition/Author"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}