FHIR Organization Resource (R4)

Organization represents a group of people or a business entity with a shared purpose: a hospital, clinic, payer, department. Element table, search parameters, example JSON and FHIRPath for FHIR R4.

FHIR Organization Resource (R4) — part of the free FHIR Toolbox library.
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Overview

Organization represents a group of people or a business entity with a shared purpose: a hospital, clinic, payer, department. It is referenced as the managing organization of a Patient, the service provider of an Encounter, the performer of a report and more.

Elements

Element	Type	Cardinality	Description
Organization.identifier	Identifier	0..*	Identifies this organization across multiple systems
Organization.active	boolean	0..1	Whether the organization's record is still in active use
Organization.type	CodeableConcept	0..*	Kind of organization
Organization.name	string	0..1	Name used for the organization
Organization.alias	string	0..*	A list of alternate names that the organization is known as, or was known as in the past
Organization.telecom	ContactPoint	0..*	A contact detail for the organization
Organization.address	Address	0..*	An address for the organization
Organization.partOf	Reference	0..1	The organization of which this organization forms a part
Organization.contact	BackboneElement	0..*	Contact for the organization for a certain purpose
Organization.contact.id	String	0..1	Unique id for inter-element referencing
Organization.contact.extension	Extension	0..*	Additional content defined by implementations
Organization.contact.modifierExtension	Extension	0..*	Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
Organization.contact.purpose	CodeableConcept	0..1	The type of contact
Organization.contact.name	HumanName	0..1	A name associated with the contact
Organization.contact.telecom	ContactPoint	0..*	Contact details (telephone, email, etc.) for a contact
Organization.contact.address	Address	0..1	Visiting or postal addresses for the contact
Organization.endpoint	Reference	0..*	Technical endpoints providing access to services operated for the organization

Example JSON (R4)

{
  "resourceType": "Organization",
  "id": "example",
  "identifier": [
    {
      "system": "http://hl7.org/fhir/sid/us-npi",
      "value": "1245319599"
    }
  ],
  "active": true,
  "type": [
    {
      "coding": [
        {
          "system": "http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/organization-type",
          "code": "prov",
          "display": "Healthcare Provider"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "name": "Example Health Clinic",
  "telecom": [
    {
      "system": "phone",
      "value": "555-0199"
    }
  ],
  "address": [
    {
      "line": [
        "1 Health Way"
      ],
      "city": "Anytown",
      "state": "CA",
      "postalCode": "90210"
    }
  ]
}

FHIRPath

Organization.name — Organization name
Organization.address.city — City of every address

Common validation errors

Using Organization for a person or a physical building. Use Practitioner or Location.
Omitting at least one of identifier, name, telecom or address without meeting the constraint. An Organization needs an identifier, name or contact (org-1).
Using R4 top-level telecom and address against R5, where contact details moved into Organization.contact.
Creating a new Organization per message instead of reusing one with a stable identifier.

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