AdverseEvent | Medplum

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Actual or potential/avoided event causing unintended physical injury resulting from or contributed to by medical care, a research study or other healthcare setting factors that requires additional monitoring, treatment, or hospitalization, or that results in death.

Elements

Name	Required	Type	Description
identifier		Identifier	Business identifier for the event Details Business identifiers assigned to this adverse event by the performer or other systems which remain constant as the resource is updated and propagates from server to server. This is a business identifier, not a resource identifier (see discussion). It is best practice for the identifier to only appear on a single resource instance, however business practices may occasionally dictate that multiple resource instances with the same identifier can exist - possibly even with different resource types. For example, multiple Patient and a Person resource instance might share the same social insurance number.
actuality	✓	code	actual \| potential Details Whether the event actually happened, or just had the potential to. Note that this is independent of whether anyone was affected or harmed or how severely.
category		CodeableConcept[]	product-problem \| product-quality \| product-use-error \| wrong-dose \| incorrect-prescribing-information \| wrong-technique \| wrong-route-of-administration \| wrong-rate \| wrong-duration \| wrong-time \| expired-drug \| medical-device-use-error \| problem-different-manufacturer \| unsafe-physical-environment Details The overall type of event, intended for search and filtering purposes.
event		CodeableConcept	Type of the event itself in relation to the subject Details This element defines the specific type of event that occurred or that was prevented from occurring.
subject	✓	Reference< Patient	Group
encounter		Reference< Encounter >	Encounter created as part of Details The Encounter during which AdverseEvent was created or to which the creation of this record is tightly associated. This will typically be the encounter the event occurred within, but some activities may be initiated prior to or after the official completion of an encounter but still be tied to the context of the encounter. For example, if a medication administration was considered an adverse event because it resulted in a rash, then the encounter when the medication administration was given is the context. If the patient reports the AdverseEvent during a second encounter, that second encounter is not the context.
date		dateTime	When the event occurred Details The date (and perhaps time) when the adverse event occurred.
detected		dateTime	When the event was detected Details Estimated or actual date the AdverseEvent began, in the opinion of the reporter.
recordedDate		dateTime	When the event was recorded Details The date on which the existence of the AdverseEvent was first recorded. The recordedDate represents the date when this particular AdverseEvent record was created in the system, not the date of the most recent update. The date of the last record modification can be retrieved from the resource metadata.
resultingCondition		Reference< Condition []	Effect on the subject due to this event Details Includes information about the reaction that occurred as a result of exposure to a substance (for example, a drug or a chemical).
location		Reference< Location >	Location where adverse event occurred Details The information about where the adverse event occurred.
seriousness		CodeableConcept	Seriousness of the event Details Assessment whether this event was of real importance.
severity		CodeableConcept	mild \| moderate \| severe Details Describes the severity of the adverse event, in relation to the subject. Contrast to AdverseEvent.seriousness - a severe rash might not be serious, but a mild heart problem is.
outcome		CodeableConcept	resolved \| recovering \| ongoing \| resolvedWithSequelae \| fatal \| unknown Details Describes the type of outcome from the adverse event.
recorder		Reference< Patient	Practitioner
contributor		Reference< Practitioner	PractitionerRole
suspectEntity		AdverseEventSuspectEntity []	The suspected agent causing the adverse event Details Describes the entity that is suspected to have caused the adverse event.
id		string	Unique id for inter-element referencing Details Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.
extension		Extension []	Additional content defined by implementations Details May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.
modifierExtension		Extension []	Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized Details May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions. Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself). There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.
instance	✓	Reference< Immunization	Procedure
causality		AdverseEventSuspectEntityCausality []	Information on the possible cause of the event Details Information on the possible cause of the event.
id		string	Unique id for inter-element referencing Details Unique id for the element within a resource (for internal references). This may be any string value that does not contain spaces.
extension		Extension []	Additional content defined by implementations Details May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.
modifierExtension		Extension []	Extensions that cannot be ignored even if unrecognized Details May be used to represent additional information that is not part of the basic definition of the element and that modifies the understanding of the element in which it is contained and/or the understanding of the containing element's descendants. Usually modifier elements provide negation or qualification. To make the use of extensions safe and manageable, there is a strict set of governance applied to the definition and use of extensions. Though any implementer can define an extension, there is a set of requirements that SHALL be met as part of the definition of the extension. Applications processing a resource are required to check for modifier extensions. Modifier extensions SHALL NOT change the meaning of any elements on Resource or DomainResource (including cannot change the meaning of modifierExtension itself). There can be no stigma associated with the use of extensions by any application, project, or standard - regardless of the institution or jurisdiction that uses or defines the extensions. The use of extensions is what allows the FHIR specification to retain a core level of simplicity for everyone.
assessment		CodeableConcept	Assessment of if the entity caused the event Details Assessment of if the entity caused the event.

Search Parameters

Name	Type	Description	Expression
actuality	token	actual \| potential	AdverseEvent.actuality
category	token	product-problem \| product-quality \| product-use-error \| wrong-dose \| incorrect-prescribing-information \| wrong-technique \| wrong-route-of-administration \| wrong-rate \| wrong-duration \| wrong-time \| expired-drug \| medical-device-use-error \| problem-different-manufacturer \| unsafe-physical-environment	AdverseEvent.category
date	date	When the event occurred	AdverseEvent.date
event	token	Type of the event itself in relation to the subject	AdverseEvent.event
location	reference	Location where adverse event occurred	AdverseEvent.location
recorder	reference	Who recorded the adverse event	AdverseEvent.recorder
resultingcondition	reference	Effect on the subject due to this event	AdverseEvent.resultingCondition
seriousness	token	Seriousness of the event	AdverseEvent.seriousness
severity	token	mild \| moderate \| severe	AdverseEvent.severity
study	reference	AdverseEvent.study	AdverseEvent.study
subject	reference	Subject impacted by event	AdverseEvent.subject
substance	reference	Refers to the specific entity that caused the adverse event	AdverseEvent.suspectEntity.instance

Inherited Elements

Name	Type	Description
id	string	Logical id of this artifact
meta	Meta	Metadata about the resource
implicitRules	uri	A set of rules under which this content was created
language	code	Language of the resource content
text	Narrative	Text summary of the resource, for human interpretation
contained	Resource[]	Contained, inline Resources
extension	Extension []	Additional content defined by implementations
modifierExtension	Extension []	Extensions that cannot be ignored

AdverseEvent Resource Context

AdverseEvent is an event resource from a FHIR workflow perspective - see Workflow Event

This resource applies to events that occur during the course of medical care or medical research which may impact an individual as the recipient of care or the participant in a research study. There are also events that occur within a care setting that might or might not impact an individual but had the potential to cause an adverse event. Health care organizations monitor and report both adverse events as well as events that had the potential to cause patient harm. Data are often aggregated for reporting purposes.

An adverse event is the result of an intervention that caused unintentional harm to a specific subject or group of subjects. Examples of adverse events include the administration of an incorrect drug or an incorrect dose of a drug causing an adverse reaction, the use of an implanted device that causes an infection, or a biologic used during a research study that causes unanticipated renal failure. These events are characterized by the need to capture cause and effect (although they might not be known at the time of the event), severity, and outcome.

The context of an adverse event is also important. A subject may have condition(s) or current treatments (medications, diet, devices) that impact their response to a newly introduced medication, device or procedure. Knowledge of these variables is essential in establishing a cause and effect relationship for an adverse event.

A potential adverse event may also be called a near miss or an error. These are also events but because they were detected did not cause harm to a subject. Examples of potential adverse events include a product problem such as a faulty pacemaker that is detected prior implantation, a doctor working simultaneously on two electronic health records realizing the order for a drug was entered on the incorrect patient and then canceling the order, or a patient with a peanut allergy notices that his hospital dinner tray includes peanuts, and he does not eat the peanuts.

The AdverseEvent resource is designed to represent events that have a harmful impact on a subject, or had the potential to cause harm to a subject but were avoided. In the course of medical care there are many actions that may impact how a subject responds to a particular treatment impacting patient safety. Therefore the AdverseEvent resource may reference multiple other resources to represent the context or details of an adverse event including but not limited to Observation, Condition, MedicationAdministration, Immunization, Procedure, or ResearchStudy.

A DetectedIssue reference is also related to the context of an AdverseEvent to the extent that a known risk for a potential issue such as a drug-drug interaction is documented. If in the context of a known issue, and adverse event occurs, citing this relationship is important for preventing such an occurrence in the future.

The AdverseEvent resource should not be used when a more specific resource exists.

The AllergyIntolerance resource is a case specific means of capturing the condition of an allergy or intolerance and the criticality (or potential for future harm) based on the response of a particular individual.
The Clinical Reasoning module provides resources and operations to enable the representation, distribution, and evaluation of clinical knowledge artifacts such as clinical decision support rules, quality measures, order sets, and protocols. The suite of resources within the clinical reasoning module should be used to capture clinical quality measures and clinical protocols that help drive clinical best practices.
The AdverseEvent resource is not intended to be used to capture potential subject risk in a prospective manner. A more appropriate resource for this purpose would be Risk Assessment which captures predicted outcomes for a patient or population on the basis of source information. Examples include a prognosis statement for a particular condition, risk of health outcome (heart attack, particular type of cancer) on the basis of lifestyle factors and/or family history or list of potential health risks based on a patient's genetic analysis.