FHIR Reference Data Type (R5)
Reference links one resource to another. Element table, example JSON and FHIRPath for FHIR R5.
- FHIR Reference Data Type (R5) — part of the free FHIR Toolbox library.
- Runs entirely in your browser: your FHIR data is never uploaded to a server.
Overview
Reference links one resource to another. It can hold a literal reference (Patient/123 or an absolute URL), a logical identifier, and a display string.
Elements
| Element | Type | Cardinality | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reference.reference | string | 0..1 | Literal reference, Relative, internal or absolute URL |
| Reference.type | uri | 0..1 | Type the reference refers to (e.g. "Patient") - must be a resource in resources |
| Reference.identifier | Identifier | 0..1 | Logical reference, when literal reference is not known |
| Reference.display | string | 0..1 | Text alternative for the resource |
Example JSON (R5)
{
"reference": "Patient/example",
"type": "Patient",
"display": "John Smith"
}
FHIRPath
Observation.subject.reference— Reference stringBundle.entry.resource.ofType(Observation).subject.reference— Subjects of Observations in a Bundle
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.