How to read ART-DECOR Definitions

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The template definitions are shown in a table view. It is comprised of Template Meta data and the Template Design. For further information please refer to the HL7 Templates Standard: Specification and Use of Reusable Information Constraint Templates, Release 1 ([1]).

Templates may also be included in the hierarchical graph view (often used for CDA).

Template Meta data

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The upper right part of the template table contains the template meta data. Template id, status and the template name are shown (1). Furthermore the Version (effective date), a possible version label and the display name are shown (2).

The description area (plain or an accordion) contains the template descriptions/purpose (3), followed by classifications and whether the template is defined as open or closed (4).

The usage part (5) may list templates that uses this template or what templates this templates uses. A relationship list (6) may show all relationships to other templates or models.

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Examples may show the correct use of the template by an XML fragment (7).

The PDF version is rendered in the same way, but maybe with different fonts etc. to fit customized publication requirements.

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Table view of Template Design

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The headings of the table view of a template design are:

Item (1) contains the XML document tree view of all elements and attributes specified in the template design. Elements are denoted by a preceding triangle and attributes by a preceding "@".

DT (2) datatypes, contains the datatype of the item, please refer to valid datatypes for elements and attributes respectively.

Card / Conf (3) cardinality (Card) and conformance (Conf) of the item. Cardinality is the usual notion of min and max occurrences of the element. For attributes 0..1 denotes optionality, 1..1 say that the attribute is required and NP denotes prohibited attributes. Conformance may display values as shown in the following table.

Values of the conformance column
Conf Short Description
O optional Data is truly optional
R required If data is present and not masked (e.g. for privacy reasons), it must be provided, otherwise it may be omitted or explicitly null flavored
M mandatory The data must be populated with a valid value from the associated value domain, otherwise the instance is not valid and may not be communicated
C conditional There are conditions when data has to be provided (e.g. co-constraints like "information about pregnancy IF the patient is "female"
F fixed The data has a fixed value
NP not present Data shall not be present

Description (4) contains a textual description of the item, may also contain constraints and values for fixed attributes.

Label (5) is a human readable label that is displayed upon errors, warnings or notes during validation.

Details of the table view

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The actual template design shows the XML structure in a hierarchical list of elements (items) that are typically prefixed by the namespace "hl7:" or "cda:" (1).

Elements are denoted with a triangle, attributes with an @ sign (2).

Data types are specified according to the list of supported data types (3). They may be simple data types (lowercase), regular datatypes (uppercase) or flavors thereof.

The cardinality and conformance column is explained above (4).

Fixed values for e.g. attributes are also shown in the "description" column (5), preceded by a "F" in the Conf column.

Conformance statements are shown together with a CONF box, e.g. a @code and a @codeSystem with fixed and required values (6).

An optional label is displayed at the rightmost column (7).

Inclusion or containments of other templates, e.g. an entry within a section, are shown accordingly (8) along with their template id, display name and flexibility/stability indication, i.e. "DYNAMIC" (the most recent version) or a STATIC binding together with a version date.

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Choices of elements are shown as a choice list with the elements in questions summarised in a bullet point list.

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A typical Conformance Statement is the binding of a coded element to a value set. This is expressed in the way shown. The value set is represented with the id, display name and the flexibility/stability of the binding.

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In case a constraint is expressed in words, a box "Constraint" accompanies the textual expression of the constraint.

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In cases where constraints are expressed by formalised rules in ISO Schematron, the rule along with the role (error, warning), the test and the assertion message is shown.

Templates in hierarchical graph view

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Templates are often included in the hierarchical graph view (often used for CDA). It gives an overview of e.g. section and entries and their nesting/relationships.

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In case a template has more that one type (CDA Person for header, section and entry templates), it is denoted with a *, if a recursive definition is detected, this is shown with the symbol @.