FHIR Organization Resource (R5)

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 R5.

FHIR Organization Resource (R5) — 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.description	markdown	0..1	Additional details about the Organization that could be displayed as further information to identify the Organization beyond its name
Organization.contact	ExtendedContactDetail	0..*	Official contact details for the Organization
Organization.partOf	Reference	0..1	The organization of which this organization forms a part
Organization.endpoint	Reference	0..*	Technical endpoints providing access to services operated for the organization
Organization.qualification	BackboneElement	0..*	Qualifications, certifications, accreditations, licenses, training, etc. pertaining to the provision of care
Organization.qualification.id	String	0..1	Unique id for inter-element referencing
Organization.qualification.extension	Extension	0..*	Additional content defined by implementations
Organization.qualification.modifierExtension	Extension	0..*	Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized
Organization.qualification.identifier	Identifier	0..*	An identifier for this qualification for the organization
Organization.qualification.code	CodeableConcept	1..1	Coded representation of the qualification
Organization.qualification.period	Period	0..1	Period during which the qualification is valid
Organization.qualification.issuer	Reference	0..1	Organization that regulates and issues the qualification

Example JSON (R5)

{
  "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",
  "contact": [
    {
      "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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