Value Set Definition Standard Project

A New Normative Standard for Value Set Definitions

Overview

[From the PSS] Describe the elements that make up a “Value Set Definition”, and ballot this as a normative HL7 specification, including a demonstration of how this is met in FHIR profiles and HL7 Model Interchange Format (MIF).

The definition of value sets is a required activity in completing the specification of most health information technology artefacts. To date, the approach for doing so has not been consistent within HL7 constructs and elsewhere. Many of the required elements and approaches are embedded in existing HL7 artefacts but not consistently. Currently, an explicit list of all the fields in an HL7 value set definition are surfaced only in the informative balloted MIF, with a general description of them in the normative Core Principles specification. A more accessible and standardized list of these fields is required to facilitate interoperability and sharing of value set definitions across HL7 artefacts and the Health IT community at large.

Success criteria: Publishing of the normative standard, and a demonstration of value set definitions that conform to this published normative specification.

Project Processes

This project is using DropBox as a collaborative document sharing process during the formative draft development process. If you are interested in viewing the current draft please attend the meetings. If you are interested in participating in the editing and review of the drafts, please send a request to get access to the dropbox folder to Rob McClure ( rmcclure AT mdpartners.com ).

Conference Call Schedule and Minutes

Weekly meeting to occur Tuesdays 4-5:30pm ET

Remember US ET changes on March 9 in the US so 4pm EDT is -4 UTC

Phone: +1 770-657-9270, Participant Code: 598745

Webmeeting Info - Note - no password is needed anymore:

Topic: Value Set Definition (VSD) weekly call
Date & Time: Tuesday at 16:00 UTC-04
Duration: 1 hour 30 min
To participate, click on the link below:
https://go.mikogo.com/?sp=&sid=559867466
If the above link does not work, you can follow these steps instead to join a session:
1. Go to http://go.mikogo.com
2. Enter the Session ID: 559-867-466
3. Enter your name
4. Click "Join Session"

Upcoming Meeting Agenda post WGM (5/13/14)

1. 15 min: Logistics and key prior discussions
   1. Meeting time will stay the same
      1. We will cover topics of interest to those that will leave early, first. If this is needed the affected individual should contact Rob and Ted before the meeting with the agenda items of interest so planning can occur.
      2. Agenda update?
2. 75 min: Continue document work
   1. Any general document discussion issues?
   2. Continue element discussions:
      1. Finish discussion of PostCoordinationControl element
      2. Then continue discussion of ballot document section 5 items
         1. First, Review the STATUS work done 4/22. Section 5.2.3.3.1 - 5.2.3.3.4
      3. Potentially Discuss how proscriptive the spec should be to control different implementation interpretations.
      4. Discuss overall datatypes: MaximumMultiplicity datatype
   3. Consider continuing to Expansion Set section, or other
   4. Some of the sections have been "signed up for"
      1. RMcClure and JJames will focus on sections 2 and initial section 5
      2. Still hope HGrain will work on section 3
      3. WHuang and JCase will work on section 4
      4. Expect TKlein and LMcKenzie to work on front pieces and content of section 6
      5. WHuang will work on section 7
3. We strongly hope that all participants will remain engaged in the project. This decision was not lightly taken and is a reflection on the amount of work and the importance of that work
   1. Additions to agenda?
4. Running list of Completed Issues:
   1. We completed the review of the Logical Elements/Functions to define Content Logical Definition based on the MIF
      1. See Valueset MIF ContentDefinition for updated comments.
   2. Discussion on how to control use of DYNAMIC defined value sets continued on 12/20 meeting.
      1. Rob and Lloyd still have to create document and use cases to explain approach to "STATUS" / DYNAMIC stability.
   3. Metadata sheet review now complete
      1. Completed discussion of Value Set Expansion metadata with changes added to end of spreadsheet.
         1. A Value Set Definition can reference 0..* "Trusted Value Set Expansion Reference" that can be a service or an actual expansion
         2. An Expansion can be characterized by a date (required), a time (optional) and an identifier (optional)
   4. As of VSDSpec v18, UML model accurately describes those elements that are "definitional" in that if they change, a new value set or value set version should be created.
   5. 4/22/14 Completed documentation of determination of VSD version STATUSes
   6. This initial ballot will leave inclusion of concept expressions as value set members as OUT OF SCOPE. This remains highly important but will be addressed in the following ballot.
   7. This document has the abstracted decisions from minutes. [1]
   8. We will allow the use of slightly more complex datatypes (DSET and EN are currently used) [Example content attribute was discussed when this decision was reached]
   9. Purpose changed to Scope in v24

Latest (v25) version of doc here. 

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Minutes documents:

20131016_VSD_Minutes
20131022_VSD_Minutes
20131030_VSD_Minutes
20131106_VSD_Minutes
20131113_VSD_Minutes
20131120_VSD_Minutes
20131122_VSD_Minutes
20131127_VSD_Minutes
20131129_VSD_Minutes
20131204_VSD_Minutes
20131206_VSD_Minutes
20131211_VSD_Minutes
20131213_VSD_Minutes
20131218_VSD_Minutes
20131220_VSD_Minutes
20140103_VSD_Minutes
20140108_VSD_Minutes
20140115_VSD_Minutes
20140128_VSD_Minutes
20140204_VSD_Minutes
20140211_VSD_Minutes
20140218_VSD_Minutes
20140225_VSD_Minutes
20140304_VSD_Minutes
20140311_VSD_Minutes
20140318_VSD_Minutes
20140325_VSD_Minutes
20140401_VSD_Minutes
20140408_VSD_Minutes
20140415_VSD_Minutes
20140422_VSD_Minutes
20140429_VSD_Minutes
20140513_VSD_Minutes

Key Target Dates

Now targeting September 2014 ballot submission
June. 29, 2014 - intention to ballot final day.  
July 13, 2014 - initial content deadline
August 3, 2014 - Final deadline for content.

Project Documents

The project working documents are being maintained using Google Docs. These can be found at: Links to project documents