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Resource Other - Content6.3
Other is a conformant for handling resource concepts not yet defined for FHIR or outside HL7's scope of interest.
The resource name as it appears in a RESTful URL is [root]/other/
Other is a special type of resource. Unlike all other resources, it doesn't correspond to a specific identifiable real-world concept. Instead, it's a placeholder for any resource-like concept that isn't already defined in the HL7 specification.
The Other resource is intended for use in two circumstances:
There's also a third circumstance: An implementer wishes to convey information that could/should be conveyed using a standard resource, however they want to represent the information in a custom format that isn't aligned with the official resource's elements. While this resource would be the preferred way of meeting that use-case because it will at least be wire-format compatible, such a use would not be conformant because making use of the Other resource would prevent the healthcare-related information from being safely processed, queried and analyzed by other conformant systems.
Implementers don't really need to be concerned with one of the two categories their desired resource fits within. If they need a resource and it doesn't yet exist, they should use Other.
Other defines only a minimal set of data elements - those necessary to identify what kind of resource it represents and those necessary to support resource compartmenting. All other data elements are represented using the extension mechanism.
Resource Content6.3.1
<Other xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"> <!-- from Resource: extension, narrative, and contained --> <code><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Kind of Resource --></code> <subject><!-- 0..1 Resource(Any) Identifies the --></subject> <author><!-- 0..1 Resource(Practitioner|Patient|RelatedPerson) Who created --></author> <created value="[date]"/><!-- 0..1 When created --> </Other>
Alternate definitions: Schema/Schematron, Resource Profile
Why not custom resources?6.3.2
Technically, nothing prevents implementers from going off and defining their own resources containing whatever data elements they wish. However, doing so causes several issues:
All of these concerns are mitigated when there's an assumption that the custom resource will only be used within a narrow constrained environment where all participants will be aware of the semantics, will be using the same custom schemas and there's no chance of collisions. However, HL7's experience is that closed implementation environments rarely remain that way over the long term. Eventually data will need to be shared with others outside the closed environment and all of the above issues will again come into play.
Therefore, use of 'custom' resources is NOT considered to be conformant with FHIR. While the use of extensions may make the Other resource slightly more complex and less visually appealing, it is the only safe and approved mechanism for sharing resource concepts not representable using standard HL7-defined resources.
NOTE: This position is subject to change based on implementation experience. Alternative mechanisms for handling custom resource requirements in a safe manner may be explored. Ideas around alternative technical strategies for managing this issue are welcome.
Best practices for using 'Other'6.3.3
There are several good practices to follow when making use of the Other resource:
Other should always be defined by the use of a
Referencing Other resources6.3.4
None of the standard resources will have direct references to Other, aside from those that allow linking to "Any" resource. As a result, most references to "Other" will need to be performed using extensions.
Search Parameters for RESTful searches. The standard parameters also apply. See Searching for more information.