Profiling and Validation

Overview
FHIR resources are very loose in requirements which gives FHIR its flexibility. For example, all elements are optional in the Patient resource, and it's possible to create a Patient resource without any data which does not make much sense. So, sometimes there is a need to constraint resources. In FHIR, you need to create a StructureDefinition resource and describe the requirements for a resource you want to restrict. And it is definitely not an easy task. There are special tools developed specifically for this. And there is an alternative — custom profiling in Aidbox which is in fact a well-known JSON Schema.
Request
Response
POST /Patient
Status: 201
​
id: 6c2b9ea9-ea57-4f9a-9c9a-6c46cbad43da
resourceType: Patient
meta:
  ...
For custom profiling, Aidbox provides additional resource AidboxProfile. This resource specifies resource type and JSON Schema which will validate the specified resource type.
AidboxProfile Resource Structure
bind 
The bind element is of type Reference. It specifies resource type which the profile will be applied to. 
Example: Binding to Practitioner resource.
YAML
JSON
bind:
  id: Practitioner # Target resource type "Practitoner"
  resourceType: Entity
{
  "bind": {
    "id": "Practitioner",  
    "resourceType": "Entity"
  }
}
schema
It's a plain JSON Schema object which will validate a resource.
Example: Require the name attribute
YAML
JSON
schema:
  type: object
  required:
  - name
{
  "schema": {
    "type": "object",
    "required": ["name"]
  }
}
Examples
Require Properties
Let's validate newly created Patient resources by specifying that name and gender properties are required. First, we need to create the appropriate AidboxProfile resource.
Request YAML
Request JSON
Response
POST /AidboxProfile
​
resourceType: AidboxProfile
id: custom-patient-constraint
bind:
  id: Patient
  resourceType: Entity
schema:
  type: object
  required:
  - name
  - gender
POST [base]/AidboxProfile
​
{
	"resourceType": "AidboxProfile",
	"id": "custom-patient-constraint",
	"bind": {
		"id": "Patient",
		"resourceType": "Entity"
	},
	"schema": {
		"type": "object",
		"required": [
			"name",
			"gender"
		]
	}
}
STATUS: 201
{
  "bind": {
    "id": "Patient",
    "resourceType": "Entity"
  },
  "schema": {
    "required": [
      "name",
      "gender"
    ]
  },
  "id": "custom-patient-constraint",
  "resourceType": "AidboxProfile",
  "meta": {
    "lastUpdated": "2018-10-10T14:45:43.801Z",
    "versionId": "2",
    "tag": [{
        "system": "https://aidbox.io",
        "code": "created"
      }
    ]
  }
}
If you are using Aidbox.Dev below 0.3.1 version, then after creating an AidboxProfile resource you will need to restart your Aidbox.Dev server.
$ docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d
Now, let's try to create a Patient resource without name and/or gender . You will receive the error.
Request YAML
Request JSON
Response
POST /Patient
​
resourceType: Patient
birthDate: '1985-01-11'
POST [base]/Patient
​
{
 "resourceType": "Patient",
 "birthDate": "1985-01-11"
}
STATUS: 422 
​
{
  "resourceType": "OperationOutcome",
  "errors": [{
      "path": [],
      "message": "Property name is required",
      "profile": {
        "id": "custom-patient-constraint",
        "resourceType": "AidboxProfile"
      }
    }, {
      "path": [],
      "message": "Property gender is required",
      "profile": {
        "id": "custom-patient-constraint",
        "resourceType": "AidboxProfile"
      }
    }
  ],
  "warnings": []
}
 Require Nested Properties
Let's require given and family elements of the name property. In this case, we are expecting that name attribute of the type HumanName will contain elements given and family. Let's create the AidboxProfile resource with the code below. Then you will need to restart server if you're on Aidbox.Dev. 
Request YAML
Request JSON
Response
POST /AidboxProfile
​
resourceType: AidboxProfile
id: custom-patient-constraint
bind:
  id: Patient
  resourceType: Entity
schema:
  type: object
  required:
  - name
  properties:
    name:
      type: array
      minItems: 1
      items:
        type: object
        required:
        - given
        - family
        properties:
          given:
            type: array
            minItems: 1
            items:
              type: string
          family:
            type: string
POST [base]/AidboxProfile
​
{
	"resourceType": "AidboxProfile",
	"id": "custom-patient-constraint",
	"bind": {
		"id": "Patient",
		"resourceType": "Entity"
	},
	"schema": {
		"type": "object",
		"required": [
			"name"
		],
		"properties": {
			"name": {
				"type": "array",
				"minItems": 1,
				"items": {
					"type": "object",
					"required": [
						"given",
						"family"
					],
					"properties": {
						"given": {
							"type": "array",
							"minItems": 1,
							"items": {
								"type": "string"
							}
						},
						"family": {
							"type": "string"
						}
					}
				}
			}
		}
	}
}
STATUS: 201
​
{
  "bind": {
    "id": "Patient",
    "resourceType": "Entity"
  },
  "schema": {
    "type": "object",
    "required": [
      "name"
    ],
    "properties": {
      "name": {
        "type": "array",
        "items": {
          "type": "object",
          "required": [
            "given",
            "family"
          ],
          "properties": {
            "given": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "string"
              },
              "minItems": 1
            },
            "family": {
              "type": "string"
            }
          }
        },
        "minItems": 1
      }
    }
  },
  "id": "custom-patient-constraint",
  "resourceType": "AidboxProfile",
  "meta": {
    "lastUpdated": "2018-10-11T09:47:18.147Z",
    "versionId": "12",
    "tag": [{
        "system": "https://aidbox.io",
        "code": "created"
      }
    ]
  }
}
Now, on Patient resource creation we will be receiving the validation error. Let's try to create a Patient resource without a family name. You will receive the error.
Request YAML
Request JSON
Response
POST /Patient
​
name:
- text: John Malcovich
  given:
  - John
POST [base]/Patient
​
{
  "name": [
    {
      "text": "John Malcovich",
      "given": [
        "John"
      ]
    }
  ]
}
STATUS: 422
​
{
    "resourceType": "OperationOutcome",
    "errors": [
        {
            "path": [
                "name",
                0
            ],
            "message": "Property family is required",
            "profile": {
                "id": "custom-patient-constraint",
                "resourceType": "AidboxProfile"
            }
        }
    ],
    "warnings": []
}
​
Working with Aidbox from .NET
Patient CRUD SPA
Last updated 4 months ago