FHIR Bundle Resource (R4)

Bundle is a container for a collection of resources. Element table, search parameters, example JSON and FHIRPath for FHIR R4.

• FHIR Bundle Resource (R4) — part of the free FHIR Toolbox library.
• Runs entirely in your browser: your FHIR data is never uploaded to a server.

Overview

Bundle is a container for a collection of resources. Its type drives the semantics: collection for a plain set, searchset for search results, transaction and batch for submitting many operations at once, document for a clinical document, message for messaging. Bundles are how most FHIR data is exchanged and exported.

Elements

Example JSON (R4)

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "id": "example",
  "type": "transaction",
  "entry": [
    {
      "fullUrl": "urn:uuid:61ebe359-bfdc-4613-8bf2-c5e300945f0a",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Patient",
        "name": [
          {
            "family": "Smith",
            "given": [
              "John"
            ]
          }
        ],
        "gender": "male"
      },
      "request": {
        "method": "POST",
        "url": "Patient"
      }
    },
    {
      "fullUrl": "urn:uuid:88f151c0-a954-468a-88bd-5ae15c08e059",
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "Observation",
        "status": "final",
        "code": {
          "coding": [
            {
              "system": "http://loinc.org",
              "code": "29463-7",
              "display": "Body weight"
            }
          ]
        },
        "subject": {
          "reference": "urn:uuid:61ebe359-bfdc-4613-8bf2-c5e300945f0a"
        },
        "valueQuantity": {
          "value": 72.5,
          "unit": "kg",
          "system": "http://unitsofmeasure.org",
          "code": "kg"
        }
      },
      "request": {
        "method": "POST",
        "url": "Observation"
      }
    }
  ]
}

FHIRPath

• Bundle.entry.resource.ofType(Patient) — Every Patient in the Bundle
• Bundle.entry.resource.ofType(Observation).count() — How many Observations
• Bundle.entry.fullUrl — All fullUrl values
• Bundle.entry.request.method — HTTP method of each transaction entry

Common validation errors

• Omitting request on transaction or batch entries. Each entry needs method and url.
• Referencing another entry by a relative id inside a transaction when the target has no server id yet. Use the target's fullUrl (for example urn:uuid:…) as the reference.
• Using a type of transaction when you mean collection, or the reverse. Transactions are atomic and are executed.
• Forgetting that entry.resource is a full resource with its own resourceType.

FHIR Toolbox is a free, privacy-first collection of HL7 FHIR utilities by Omindra Labs. Every tool performs zero-server processing — your health data never leaves your device.