The EvidenceVariable resource describes an element that knowledge (Evidence) is about.

Need to be able to define and reuse the definition of individual elements of a research question.

The EvidenceVariable may be an exposure variable (intervention, condition, or state), a measured variable (outcome or observed parameter), or other variable (such as confounding factor).

An absolute URI that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance; also called its canonical identifier. This SHOULD be globally unique and SHOULD be a literal address at which an authoritative instance of this evidence variable is (or will be) published. This URL can be the target of a canonical reference. It SHALL remain the same when the evidence variable is stored on different servers.

Allows the evidence variable to be referenced by a single globally unique identifier.

In some cases, the resource can no longer be found at the stated url, but the url itself cannot change. Implementations can use the meta.source element to indicate where the current master source of the resource can be found.

A formal identifier that is used to identify this evidence variable when it is represented in other formats, or referenced in a specification, model, design or an instance.

Allows externally provided and/or usable business identifiers to be easily associated with the module.

Typically, this is used for identifiers that can go in an HL7 V3 II (instance identifier) data type, and can then identify this evidence variable outside of FHIR, where it is not possible to use the logical URI.

The identifier that is used to identify this version of the evidence variable when it is referenced in a specification, model, design or instance. This is an arbitrary value managed by the evidence variable author and is not expected to be globally unique. For example, it might be a timestamp (e.g. yyyymmdd) if a managed version is not available. There is also no expectation that versions can be placed in a lexicographical sequence. To provide a version consistent with the Decision Support Service specification, use the format Major.Minor.Revision (e.g. 1.0.0). For more information on versioning knowledge assets, refer to the Decision Support Service specification. Note that a version is required for non-experimental active artifacts.

There may be different evidence variable instances that have the same identifier but different versions. The version can be appended to the url in a reference to allow a reference to a particular business version of the evidence variable with the format [url]|[version]. The version SHOULD NOT contain a '#' - see Business Version .

Indicates the mechanism used to compare versions to determine which is more current.

If set as a string, this is a FHIRPath expression that has two additional context variables passed in - %version1 and %version2 and will return a negative number if version1 is newer, a positive number if version2 is newer, and a 0 if the version ordering can't successfully be determined.

A natural language name identifying the evidence variable. This name should be usable as an identifier for the module by machine processing applications such as code generation.

Support human navigation and code generation.

The name is not expected to be globally unique. The name should be a simple alphanumeric type name to ensure that it is machine-processing friendly.

A short, descriptive, user-friendly title for the evidence variable.

This name does not need to be machine-processing friendly and may contain punctuation, white-space, etc.

The short title provides an alternate title for use in informal descriptive contexts where the full, formal title is not necessary.

Need to be able to reference the content by a short description, but still provide a longer, more formal title for the content.

The status of this evidence variable. Enables tracking the life-cycle of the content.

Allows filtering of evidence variables that are appropriate for use versus not.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

A Boolean value to indicate that this resource is authored for testing purposes (or education/evaluation/marketing) and is not intended to be used for genuine usage.

The date (and optionally time) when the evidence variable was last significantly changed. The date must change when the business version changes and it must change if the status code changes. In addition, it should change when the substantive content of the evidence variable changes.

The date is often not tracked until the resource is published, but may be present on draft content. Note that this is not the same as the resource last-modified-date, since the resource may be a secondary representation of the evidence variable. Additional specific dates may be added as extensions or be found by consulting Provenances associated with past versions of the resource.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

The name of the organization or individual responsible for the release and ongoing maintenance of the evidence variable.

Helps establish the "authority/credibility" of the evidence variable. May also allow for contact.

Usually an organization but may be an individual. The publisher (or steward) of the evidence variable is the organization or individual primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the evidence variable. This is not necessarily the same individual or organization that developed and initially authored the content. The publisher is the primary point of contact for questions or issues with the evidence variable. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context.

Contact details to assist a user in finding and communicating with the publisher.

Extensions to ContactDetail include: contactReference, contactAddress, and contributionTime (see Clinical Reasoning Module ).

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

A free text natural language description of the evidence variable from a consumer's perspective.

This description can be used to capture details such as comments about misuse, instructions for clinical use and interpretation, literature references, examples from the paper world, etc. It is not a rendering of the evidence variable as conveyed in the 'text' field of the resource itself. This item SHOULD be populated unless the information is available from context (e.g. the language of the evidence variable is presumed to be the predominant language in the place the evidence variable was created).

A human-readable string to clarify or explain concepts about the resource.

The content was developed with a focus and intent of supporting the contexts that are listed. These contexts may be general categories (gender, age, ...) or may be references to specific programs (insurance plans, studies, ...) and may be used to assist with indexing and searching for appropriate evidence variable instances.

Assist in searching for appropriate content.

When multiple useContexts are specified, there is no expectation that all or any of the contexts apply.

Explanation of why this EvidenceVariable is needed and why it has been designed as it has.

This element does not describe the usage of the EvidenceVariable. Instead, it provides traceability of ''why'' the resource is either needed or ''why'' it is defined as it is. This may be used to point to source materials or specifications that drove the structure of this EvidenceVariable.

A copyright statement relating to the resource and/or its contents. Copyright statements are generally legal restrictions on the use and publishing of the resource.

A short string (<50 characters), suitable for inclusion in a page footer that identifies the copyright holder, effective period, and optionally whether rights are resctricted. (e.g. 'All rights reserved', 'Some rights reserved').

Defines the content expected to be rendered in all representations of the artifact.

The (c) symbol should NOT be included in this string. It will be added by software when rendering the notation. Full details about licensing, restrictions, warrantees, etc. goes in the more general 'copyright' element.

The date on which the resource content was approved by the publisher. Approval happens once when the content is officially approved for usage.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

The date on which the resource content was last reviewed. Review happens periodically after approval but does not change the original approval date.

If specified, this date follows the original approval date.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

The period during which the resource content was or is planned to be in active use.

The effective period for an EvidenceVariable determines when the content is applicable for usage and is independent of publication and review dates. For example, a variable intended to be used for the year 2016 might be published in 2015.

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

An individiual or organization primarily involved in the creation and maintenance of the content.

Extensions to ContactDetail include: contactReference, contactAddress, and contributionTime (see Clinical Reasoning Module ).

An individual or organization primarily responsible for internal coherence of the content.

Extensions to ContactDetail include: contactReference, contactAddress, and contributionTime (see Clinical Reasoning Module ).

An individual or organization asserted by the publisher to be primarily responsible for review of some aspect of the content.

Extensions to ContactDetail include: contactReference, contactAddress, and contributionTime (see Clinical Reasoning Module ).

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

An individual or organization asserted by the publisher to be responsible for officially endorsing the content for use in some setting.

Extensions to ContactDetail include: contactReference, contactAddress, and contributionTime (see Clinical Reasoning Module ).

See guidance around (not) making local changes to elements here .

Related artifacts such as additional documentation, justification, or bibliographic references.

EvidenceVariables must be able to provide enough information for consumers of the content (and/or interventions or results produced by the content) to be able to determine and understand the justification for and evidence in support of the content.

Each related artifact is either an attachment, or a reference to another resource, but not both.

True if the actual variable measured, false if a conceptual representation of the intended variable.

Defines the characteristic using variable with a concept and/or Reference.

The method of handling in statistical analysis.

A grouping for ordinal or polychotomous variables.

Description of the grouping.

Definition of the grouping.