This page is part of the FHIR Specification (v5.0.0: R5 - STU). This is the current published version. For a full list of available versions, see the Directory of published versions

5.11 Resource ActorDefinition - Content

FHIR Infrastructure icon

Work Group

Maturity Level: 1

Trial Use

Security Category: Anonymous

Compartments: No defined compartments

Describes an actor - a human or an application that plays a role in data exchange, and that may have obligations associated with the role the actor plays.

5.11.1 Scope and Usage

The ActorDefinition Resource an actor that can plays the role of a participant in some kind of described process. Generally, in the scope of FHIR, the process is some kind of data exchange, and ActorDefinition is defined for this purpose.

However it's also possible to use actors in descriptions and definitions of clinical business flows, though FHIR itself does not provide a business process description language, nor will it. The intention of the ActorDefinition is that other business process languages will refer the actors and in doing so, bring into scope the technical artifacts associated with the actor.

5.11.2 Boundaries and Relationships

Once defined, Actors may be asociated with obligations defined in profiles to describe expected application behavior.

Actors may also be referenced from ExampleXcenario.

5.11.3 References to this Resource

Resource References: itself and Requirements
Extension References: Obligation

Structure

Name	Flags	Card.	Type	Description & Constraints
ActorDefinition	TU		DomainResource	An application that exchanges data + Warning: Name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation Elements defined in Ancestors: id, meta, implicitRules, language, text, contained, extension, modifierExtension Interfaces Implemented: CanonicalResource
url	Σ C	0..1	uri	Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique) + Warning: URL should not contain \| or # - these characters make processing canonical references problematic
identifier	Σ	0..*	Identifier	Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
version	Σ	0..1	string	Business version of the actor definition
versionAlgorithm[x]	Σ	0..1		How to compare versions Binding: Version Algorithm (Extensible)
versionAlgorithmString			string
versionAlgorithmCoding			Coding
name	Σ C	0..1	string	Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
title	Σ T	0..1	string	Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
status	?!Σ	1..1	code	draft \| active \| retired \| unknown Binding: PublicationStatus (Required)
experimental	Σ	0..1	boolean	For testing purposes, not real usage
date	Σ	0..1	dateTime	Date last changed
publisher	Σ T	0..1	string	Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
contact	Σ	0..*	ContactDetail	Contact details for the publisher
description	T	0..1	markdown	Natural language description of the actor
useContext	Σ TU	0..*	UsageContext	The context that the content is intended to support
jurisdiction	Σ XD	0..*	CodeableConcept	Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable) Binding: Jurisdiction ValueSet (Extensible)
purpose	T	0..1	markdown	Why this actor definition is defined
copyright	T	0..1	markdown	Use and/or publishing restrictions
copyrightLabel	T	0..1	string	Copyright holder and year(s)
type	Σ	1..1	code	person \| system Binding: Example Scenario Actor Type (Required)
documentation	T	0..1	markdown	Functionality associated with the actor
reference		0..*	url	Reference to more information about the actor
capabilities		0..1	canonical(CapabilityStatement)	CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
derivedFrom		0..*	canonical(ActorDefinition)	Definition of this actor in another context / IG
Documentation for this format

See the Extensions for this resource

UML Diagram (Legend)

XML Template

<ActorDefinition xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> 
 <!-- from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language -->
 <!-- from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension -->
 <url value="[uri]"/><!-- 0..1 Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique) -->
 <identifier><!-- 0..* Identifier Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier) --></identifier>
 <version value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Business version of the actor definition -->
 <versionAlgorithm[x]><!-- 0..1 string|Coding How to compare versions --></versionAlgorithm[x]>
 <name value="[string]"/><!-- I 0..1 Name for this actor definition (computer friendly) -->
 <title value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Name for this actor definition (human friendly) -->
 <status value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 draft | active | retired | unknown -->
 <experimental value="[boolean]"/><!-- 0..1 For testing purposes, not real usage -->
 <date value="[dateTime]"/><!-- 0..1 Date last changed -->
 <publisher value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual) -->
 <contact><!-- 0..* ContactDetail Contact details for the publisher --></contact>
 <description value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Natural language description of the actor -->
 <useContext><!-- 0..* UsageContext The context that the content is intended to support --></useContext>
 <jurisdiction><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable) --></jurisdiction>
 <purpose value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Why this actor definition is defined -->
 <copyright value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Use and/or publishing restrictions -->
 <copyrightLabel value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Copyright holder and year(s) -->
 <type value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 person | system -->
 <documentation value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Functionality associated with the actor -->
 <reference value="[url]"/><!-- 0..* Reference to more information about the actor -->
 <capabilities><!-- 0..1 canonical(CapabilityStatement) CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable) --></capabilities>
 <derivedFrom><!-- 0..* canonical(ActorDefinition) Definition of this actor in another context / IG --></derivedFrom>
</ActorDefinition>

JSON Template

{
  "resourceType" : "ActorDefinition",
  // from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language
  // from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension
  "url" : "<uri>", // Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique)
  "identifier" : [{ Identifier }], // Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
  "version" : "<string>", // Business version of the actor definition
  // versionAlgorithm[x]: How to compare versions. One of these 2:
  "versionAlgorithmString" : "<string>",
  "versionAlgorithmCoding" : { Coding },
  "name" : "<string>", // I Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
  "title" : "<string>", // Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
  "status" : "<code>", // R!  draft | active | retired | unknown
  "experimental" : <boolean>, // For testing purposes, not real usage
  "date" : "<dateTime>", // Date last changed
  "publisher" : "<string>", // Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
  "contact" : [{ ContactDetail }], // Contact details for the publisher
  "description" : "<markdown>", // Natural language description of the actor
  "useContext" : [{ UsageContext }], // The context that the content is intended to support
  "jurisdiction" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable)
  "purpose" : "<markdown>", // Why this actor definition is defined
  "copyright" : "<markdown>", // Use and/or publishing restrictions
  "copyrightLabel" : "<string>", // Copyright holder and year(s)
  "type" : "<code>", // R!  person | system
  "documentation" : "<markdown>", // Functionality associated with the actor
  "reference" : ["<url>"], // Reference to more information about the actor
  "capabilities" : "<canonical(CapabilityStatement)>", // CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
  "derivedFrom" : ["<canonical(ActorDefinition)>"] // Definition of this actor in another context / IG
}

Turtle Template

@prefix fhir: <http://hl7.org/fhir/> .


[ a fhir:ActorDefinition;
  fhir:nodeRole fhir:treeRoot; # if this is the parser root

  # from Resource: .id, .meta, .implicitRules, and .language
  # from DomainResource: .text, .contained, .extension, and .modifierExtension
  fhir:url [ uri ] ; # 0..1 Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique)
  fhir:identifier  ( [ Identifier ] ... ) ; # 0..* Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
  fhir:version [ string ] ; # 0..1 Business version of the actor definition
  # versionAlgorithm[x] : 0..1 How to compare versions. One of these 2
    fhir:versionAlgorithm [  a fhir:string ; string ]
    fhir:versionAlgorithm [  a fhir:Coding ; Coding ]
  fhir:name [ string ] ; # 0..1 I Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
  fhir:title [ string ] ; # 0..1 Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
  fhir:status [ code ] ; # 1..1 draft | active | retired | unknown
  fhir:experimental [ boolean ] ; # 0..1 For testing purposes, not real usage
  fhir:date [ dateTime ] ; # 0..1 Date last changed
  fhir:publisher [ string ] ; # 0..1 Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
  fhir:contact  ( [ ContactDetail ] ... ) ; # 0..* Contact details for the publisher
  fhir:description [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Natural language description of the actor
  fhir:useContext  ( [ UsageContext ] ... ) ; # 0..* The context that the content is intended to support
  fhir:jurisdiction  ( [ CodeableConcept ] ... ) ; # 0..* Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable)
  fhir:purpose [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Why this actor definition is defined
  fhir:copyright [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Use and/or publishing restrictions
  fhir:copyrightLabel [ string ] ; # 0..1 Copyright holder and year(s)
  fhir:type [ code ] ; # 1..1 person | system
  fhir:documentation [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Functionality associated with the actor
  fhir:reference  ( [ url ] ... ) ; # 0..* Reference to more information about the actor
  fhir:capabilities [ canonical(CapabilityStatement) ] ; # 0..1 CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
  fhir:derivedFrom  ( [ canonical(ActorDefinition) ] ... ) ; # 0..* Definition of this actor in another context / IG
]

Changes from both R4 and R4B

This resource did not exist in Release R4

See the Full Difference for further information

This analysis is available for R4 as XML or JSON and for R4B as XML or JSON.

Structure

Name	Flags	Card.	Type	Description & Constraints
ActorDefinition	TU		DomainResource	An application that exchanges data + Warning: Name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation Elements defined in Ancestors: id, meta, implicitRules, language, text, contained, extension, modifierExtension Interfaces Implemented: CanonicalResource
url	Σ C	0..1	uri	Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique) + Warning: URL should not contain \| or # - these characters make processing canonical references problematic
identifier	Σ	0..*	Identifier	Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
version	Σ	0..1	string	Business version of the actor definition
versionAlgorithm[x]	Σ	0..1		How to compare versions Binding: Version Algorithm (Extensible)
versionAlgorithmString			string
versionAlgorithmCoding			Coding
name	Σ C	0..1	string	Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
title	Σ T	0..1	string	Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
status	?!Σ	1..1	code	draft \| active \| retired \| unknown Binding: PublicationStatus (Required)
experimental	Σ	0..1	boolean	For testing purposes, not real usage
date	Σ	0..1	dateTime	Date last changed
publisher	Σ T	0..1	string	Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
contact	Σ	0..*	ContactDetail	Contact details for the publisher
description	T	0..1	markdown	Natural language description of the actor
useContext	Σ TU	0..*	UsageContext	The context that the content is intended to support
jurisdiction	Σ XD	0..*	CodeableConcept	Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable) Binding: Jurisdiction ValueSet (Extensible)
purpose	T	0..1	markdown	Why this actor definition is defined
copyright	T	0..1	markdown	Use and/or publishing restrictions
copyrightLabel	T	0..1	string	Copyright holder and year(s)
type	Σ	1..1	code	person \| system Binding: Example Scenario Actor Type (Required)
documentation	T	0..1	markdown	Functionality associated with the actor
reference		0..*	url	Reference to more information about the actor
capabilities		0..1	canonical(CapabilityStatement)	CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
derivedFrom		0..*	canonical(ActorDefinition)	Definition of this actor in another context / IG
Documentation for this format

See the Extensions for this resource

UML Diagram (Legend)

XML Template

<ActorDefinition xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> 
 <!-- from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language -->
 <!-- from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension -->
 <url value="[uri]"/><!-- 0..1 Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique) -->
 <identifier><!-- 0..* Identifier Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier) --></identifier>
 <version value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Business version of the actor definition -->
 <versionAlgorithm[x]><!-- 0..1 string|Coding How to compare versions --></versionAlgorithm[x]>
 <name value="[string]"/><!-- I 0..1 Name for this actor definition (computer friendly) -->
 <title value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Name for this actor definition (human friendly) -->
 <status value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 draft | active | retired | unknown -->
 <experimental value="[boolean]"/><!-- 0..1 For testing purposes, not real usage -->
 <date value="[dateTime]"/><!-- 0..1 Date last changed -->
 <publisher value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual) -->
 <contact><!-- 0..* ContactDetail Contact details for the publisher --></contact>
 <description value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Natural language description of the actor -->
 <useContext><!-- 0..* UsageContext The context that the content is intended to support --></useContext>
 <jurisdiction><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable) --></jurisdiction>
 <purpose value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Why this actor definition is defined -->
 <copyright value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Use and/or publishing restrictions -->
 <copyrightLabel value="[string]"/><!-- 0..1 Copyright holder and year(s) -->
 <type value="[code]"/><!-- 1..1 person | system -->
 <documentation value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Functionality associated with the actor -->
 <reference value="[url]"/><!-- 0..* Reference to more information about the actor -->
 <capabilities><!-- 0..1 canonical(CapabilityStatement) CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable) --></capabilities>
 <derivedFrom><!-- 0..* canonical(ActorDefinition) Definition of this actor in another context / IG --></derivedFrom>
</ActorDefinition>

JSON Template

{
  "resourceType" : "ActorDefinition",
  // from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language
  // from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension
  "url" : "<uri>", // Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique)
  "identifier" : [{ Identifier }], // Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
  "version" : "<string>", // Business version of the actor definition
  // versionAlgorithm[x]: How to compare versions. One of these 2:
  "versionAlgorithmString" : "<string>",
  "versionAlgorithmCoding" : { Coding },
  "name" : "<string>", // I Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
  "title" : "<string>", // Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
  "status" : "<code>", // R!  draft | active | retired | unknown
  "experimental" : <boolean>, // For testing purposes, not real usage
  "date" : "<dateTime>", // Date last changed
  "publisher" : "<string>", // Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
  "contact" : [{ ContactDetail }], // Contact details for the publisher
  "description" : "<markdown>", // Natural language description of the actor
  "useContext" : [{ UsageContext }], // The context that the content is intended to support
  "jurisdiction" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable)
  "purpose" : "<markdown>", // Why this actor definition is defined
  "copyright" : "<markdown>", // Use and/or publishing restrictions
  "copyrightLabel" : "<string>", // Copyright holder and year(s)
  "type" : "<code>", // R!  person | system
  "documentation" : "<markdown>", // Functionality associated with the actor
  "reference" : ["<url>"], // Reference to more information about the actor
  "capabilities" : "<canonical(CapabilityStatement)>", // CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
  "derivedFrom" : ["<canonical(ActorDefinition)>"] // Definition of this actor in another context / IG
}

Turtle Template

@prefix fhir: <http://hl7.org/fhir/> .


[ a fhir:ActorDefinition;
  fhir:nodeRole fhir:treeRoot; # if this is the parser root

  # from Resource: .id, .meta, .implicitRules, and .language
  # from DomainResource: .text, .contained, .extension, and .modifierExtension
  fhir:url [ uri ] ; # 0..1 Canonical identifier for this actor definition, represented as a URI (globally unique)
  fhir:identifier  ( [ Identifier ] ... ) ; # 0..* Additional identifier for the actor definition (business identifier)
  fhir:version [ string ] ; # 0..1 Business version of the actor definition
  # versionAlgorithm[x] : 0..1 How to compare versions. One of these 2
    fhir:versionAlgorithm [  a fhir:string ; string ]
    fhir:versionAlgorithm [  a fhir:Coding ; Coding ]
  fhir:name [ string ] ; # 0..1 I Name for this actor definition (computer friendly)
  fhir:title [ string ] ; # 0..1 Name for this actor definition (human friendly)
  fhir:status [ code ] ; # 1..1 draft | active | retired | unknown
  fhir:experimental [ boolean ] ; # 0..1 For testing purposes, not real usage
  fhir:date [ dateTime ] ; # 0..1 Date last changed
  fhir:publisher [ string ] ; # 0..1 Name of the publisher/steward (organization or individual)
  fhir:contact  ( [ ContactDetail ] ... ) ; # 0..* Contact details for the publisher
  fhir:description [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Natural language description of the actor
  fhir:useContext  ( [ UsageContext ] ... ) ; # 0..* The context that the content is intended to support
  fhir:jurisdiction  ( [ CodeableConcept ] ... ) ; # 0..* Intended jurisdiction for actor definition (if applicable)
  fhir:purpose [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Why this actor definition is defined
  fhir:copyright [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Use and/or publishing restrictions
  fhir:copyrightLabel [ string ] ; # 0..1 Copyright holder and year(s)
  fhir:type [ code ] ; # 1..1 person | system
  fhir:documentation [ markdown ] ; # 0..1 Functionality associated with the actor
  fhir:reference  ( [ url ] ... ) ; # 0..* Reference to more information about the actor
  fhir:capabilities [ canonical(CapabilityStatement) ] ; # 0..1 CapabilityStatement for the actor (if applicable)
  fhir:derivedFrom  ( [ canonical(ActorDefinition) ] ... ) ; # 0..* Definition of this actor in another context / IG
]

Changes from both R4 and R4B

This resource did not exist in Release R4

See the Full Difference for further information

This analysis is available for R4 as XML or JSON and for R4B as XML or JSON.

Additional definitions: Master Definition XML + JSON, XML Schema/Schematron + JSON Schema, ShEx (for Turtle) , the spreadsheet version & the dependency analysis

5.11.4.1 Terminology Bindings

Path	ValueSet	Type	Documentation
ActorDefinition.versionAlgorithm[x]	VersionAlgorithm	Extensible	Indicates the mechanism used to compare versions to determine which is more current.
ActorDefinition.status	PublicationStatus	Required	The lifecycle status of an artifact.
ActorDefinition.jurisdiction	JurisdictionValueSet	Extensible	This value set defines a base set of codes for country, country subdivision and region for indicating where a resource is intended to be used. Note: The codes for countries and country subdivisions are taken from ISO 3166 while the codes for "supra-national" regions are from UN Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49) .
ActorDefinition.type	ExampleScenarioActorType	Required	The type of actor - system or human.

Path

ValueSet

Type

Documentation

ActorDefinition.versionAlgorithm[x]

VersionAlgorithm

Extensible

Indicates the mechanism used to compare versions to determine which is more current.

ActorDefinition.status

PublicationStatus

Required

The lifecycle status of an artifact.

ActorDefinition.jurisdiction

JurisdictionValueSet

Extensible

This value set defines a base set of codes for country, country subdivision and region for indicating where a resource is intended to be used.

Note: The codes for countries and country subdivisions are taken from ISO 3166 icon while the codes for "supra-national" regions are from UN Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49) icon .

ActorDefinition.type

ExampleScenarioActorType

Required

The type of actor - system or human.

5.11.4.2 Constraints

UniqueKey

Level

Location

Description

Expression

cnl-0

Warning

(base)

Name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation

name.exists() implies name.matches('^[A-Z]([A-Za-z0-9_]){1,254}$')

cnl-1

Warning

ActorDefinition.url

URL should not contain | or # - these characters make processing canonical references problematic

exists() implies matches('^[^|# ]+$')

5.11.5 Search Parameters

Search parameters for this resource. See also the full list of search parameters for this resource, and check the Extensions registry for search parameters on extensions related to this resource. The common parameters also apply. See Searching for more information about searching in REST, messaging, and services.

Name	Type	Description	Expression	In Common
context	token	A use context assigned to the Actor Definition	(ActorDefinition.useContext.value.ofType(CodeableConcept))	30 Resources
context-quantity	quantity	A quantity- or range-valued use context assigned to the Actor Definition	(ActorDefinition.useContext.value.ofType(Quantity)) \| (ActorDefinition.useContext.value.ofType(Range))	30 Resources
context-type	token	A type of use context assigned to the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.useContext.code	30 Resources
context-type-quantity	composite	A use context type and quantity- or range-based value assigned to the Actor Definition	On ActorDefinition.useContext: context-type: code context-quantity: value.ofType(Quantity) \| value.ofType(Range)	30 Resources
context-type-value	composite	A use context type and value assigned to the Actor Definition	On ActorDefinition.useContext: context-type: code context: value.ofType(CodeableConcept)	30 Resources
date	date	The Actor Definition publication date	ActorDefinition.date	30 Resources
description	string	The description of the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.description	28 Resources
identifier	token	External identifier for the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.identifier	34 Resources
jurisdiction	token	Intended jurisdiction for the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.jurisdiction	26 Resources
publisher	string	Name of the publisher of the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.publisher	30 Resources
status	token	The current status of the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.status	35 Resources
title	string	The human-friendly name of the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.title	27 Resources
type	token	The type of actor	ActorDefinition.type
url	uri	The uri that identifies the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.url	34 Resources
version	token	The business version of the Actor Definition	ActorDefinition.version	30 Resources