Stream: terminology
Topic: Search coded concepts
François Macary (Nov 17 2016 at 15:19):
Use case:
A FHIR terminology server provides a lexical search feature on a terminology similar to "Search" of IHTSDO CT browser. Obviously the output of this service has to be a FHIR resource. The solution we implement and test here today is this:
The FHIR client uses POST ValueSet$expand with the In Parameters providing an intensional definition stating the coding system ( say LOINC), and providing a Filter [property = long common name, op = regex, value = the lexical content]
The FHIR server returns back the expansion of this dynamic ValueSet, which contains the list of candidate concepts.
Question: Is this a good practice? If not, what would be a better method? Thanks!
Grahame Grieve (Nov 17 2016 at 15:38):
I wouldn't bother POSTing
Grahame Grieve (Nov 17 2016 at 15:38):
Grahame Grieve (Nov 17 2016 at 15:39):
unless you really need the details of your value set. In which case, yes, I'd do it the way you are doing it
Michael Lawley (Nov 18 2016 at 00:58):
I wouldn't do it that way at all unless you r*really* want a regex match. Using a GET on $expand with the filter parameter means the terminology server can 1) use an better matching strategy, and 2) apply a useful ranking to the search results.
If you need to POST the ValueSet definition, you can still use $expand and the filter parameter rather than buliding that bit into the ValueSet definition.
Last updated: Apr 12 2022 at 19:14 UTC
