Details
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Change Request
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Resolution: Persuasive
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Medium
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Clinical Quality Language (FHIR)
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1.5 [deprecated]
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Clinical Decision Support
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Grammar
ELM
Authors Guide
Logical Specification
Appendix B - Reference -
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Rob Hausam/Rob McClure: 12-0-0
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Clarification
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Non-substantive
Description
The description of the Concept type is inconsistent between the CQL language definition, and the ELM specification.
1, The language reference [Concept](https://cql.hl7.org/02-authorsguide.html#concept) doesn't pronounce on whether codes and/or display are required, implying they may be empty and/or null.
2. The grammar [Concept](https://cql.hl7.org/19-l-cqlsyntaxdiagrams.html#conceptSelector) requires at least one code in the instance selector and for Concept Definition.
3. The type specification [Concept](https://cql.hl7.org/09-b-cqlreference.html#concept-1) doesn't pronounce on whether codes and/or display are required, implying they may be empty and/or null.
4. The ELM specification [Concept](https://cql.hl7.org/04-logicalspecification.html#concept) follows the grammar and requires at least one code.
5. The ELM specification [ConceptDef](https://cql.hl7.org/04-logicalspecification.html#conceptdef) follows the grammar and requires at least one code.
Given that the Concept type in CQL is intended to be analogous to a FHIR CodeableConcept, this should be clarified by:
- Making clear in the language reference that codes may be an empty list or a null, and that the display may be null.
- Relaxing the grammar to allow an empty or null code list to be specified.
- Making clear in the type specification that codes may be an empty list or a null and that the display may be null.
- Relaxing the type specification to allow 0..* codes
- Relaxing the conceptdef specification to allow 0..* codes
In addition, make clear that the term "display" in Concept is a different element than the "display" element of codes in the concept and can be used independently.