How to use multilingual search

Multilingual search is experimental! API may change!

FHIR specifies the translation extension to store translations from base language of resource to another languages. In this tutorial we will cover how to search through resources specifying language.

First, let's create a resource Location, which has name in English and French:

POST /fhir/Location

resourceType: Location
id: loc-1
status: active
name: Location name
_name:
  extension:
    - url: http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/translation
      extension:
        - url: lang
          valueCode: fr-CA
        - url: content
          valueString: Clinique médicale du cœur de la ville
    - url: http://hl7.org/fhir/StructureDefinition/translation
      extension:
        - url: lang
          valueCode: en-CA
        - url: content
          valueString: Downtown Heart Medical Clinic

Here, translations of the name are specified in the _name, which is FHIR primitive extension.

Search in specified language

Aidbox has non-FHIR search parameter _search-language to specify the locale to search. Then provide some search-parameter, for example name. To enable _search-language:

features 
{...
 :multilingual
 {:enable-search-language true}}

To search locations by name in French:

GET /Location?_search-language=fr-CA&name=Clinique

To search in English:

GET /Location?_search-language=en-CA&name=Downtown

Using Accept-Language header

Accept-Language HTTP header can be used instead of _search-language. To enable such behavior, use this environment variable:

features 
{...
 :multilingual
 {:use-accept-language-header true}}

or

box_features_muitilingual_use__accept__language__header=true

Now we can use the header instead:

GET /Location?name=Clinique
Accept-Language: fr-CA

Translate concepts

$translate-concept endpoint is used to fetch translations of concepts by their code and system.

POST /$translate-concepts

language: fr-CA
concepts: 
  - code: 1-8
    system: http://loinc.org
  - code: 10000-8
    system: http://loinc.org

will response with

- code: 10000-8
  system: http://loinc.org
  language: en
  translation: R wave duration in lead AVR
- code: 1-8
  system: http://loinc.org
  language: en
  translation: Acyclovir [Susceptibility]