Digital signature for header participations - author, authenticator, legalAuthenticator

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Submitted by: Ioana Singureanu	Revision date: <<Revision Date>>
Submitted date: 11/17/2009	Change request ID: <<Change Request ID>>

Issue

Currently there is no way include a digital signature in the document header along with the identity of an author, authenticator, or legal authenticator. This information is often mandatory for legally binding documents.

Severity:High

High: The workaround "Signature" section (see Dicussion) is inefficient and duplicative of metadata specified in the HL7 RIM (signature). CBCC WG Wiki

Recommendation

• Add "digitalSignature" to Participation instances in the document header.

Rationale

Needed for Consent Directive representations. The current workaround is to specify a "Signature" section in structure body of a document:

<section classCode="DOCSECT" moodCode="EVN">
                   
                   <title>Signatures</title>
                   <text> This section contains the signatures of the relevant  
                            authenticators</text>
                   <entry typeCode="COMP">
                       <observationMedia classCode="OBS" moodCode="EVN">
                           <value mediaType="application/pdf" representation="B64"> 
                              ... 
                           </value>
                       </observationMedia>
                   </entry>
               </section>

This method, however, does not specify how to which authenticator is belongs, the narrative block has to specify using references.

Discussion

The item was introduced during the SDWG meeting - Nov. 17th, 2009.

Resolution

(Resolution is to be recorded here and in the referenced minutes, which are the authoritative source of resolution).