The data types in this section are listed in alphabetical order.
Note: For data types which contain multiple components or subcomponents, the examples given in this section do not specify the optionality of the component or subcomponents. This must be specified in the field definitions that follow the formal segment attribute tables to a maximum length of 64K. |
Except for the TS data type and the maximum or minimum lengths for several other data types (CE, PN, TX, FT), the field length of HL7 attributes are specified in the segment attribute tables, and any specific length of the components or subcomponents of those attributes must be specified in the field definitions that follow the formal segment attribute tables. In general, HL7 does not specify the lengths of components and/or subcomponents.
The data type examples in this Standard are given using the standard HL7 encoding rules, with the delimiter values from figure 2-1 of Section 2.7 "MESSAGE DELIMITERS." Although only one set of encoding rules is defined as a standard in HL7 Version 2.3, other encoding rules are possible (but since they are non-standard, they may only be used by a site-specific agreement).
In certain data type definitions, square brackets, "[" and "]", are used to specify optional parts of a data type (or of a data type component or subcomponent).
Figure 2-2. HL7 data types
Data Type Category/ Data type |
Data Type Name |
HL7 Section Reference |
Notes/Format |
Alphanumeric | |||
ST |
String | ||
TX |
Text data | ||
FT |
Formatted text | ||
Numerical | |||
CQ |
Composite quantity with units |
<quantity (NM)> ^ <units (CE)> |
|
MO |
Money |
<quantity (NM)> ^ <denomination (ID)> |
|
NM |
Numeric | ||
SI |
Sequence ID | ||
SN |
Structured numeric |
<comparator> ^ <num1 (NM)> ^ <separator/suffix> ^ <num2 (NM)> |
|
Identifier | |||
ID |
Coded values for HL7 tables | ||
IS |
Coded value for user-defined tables | ||
HD |
Hierarchic designator |
<namespace ID (IS)> ^ <universal ID (ST)> ^ <universal ID type (ID)> Used only as part of EI and other data types. |
|
EI |
Entity identifier |
<entity identifier (ST)> ^ <namespace ID (IS)> ^ <universal ID (ST)> ^ <universal ID type (ID)> |
|
RP |
Reference pointer |
<pointer (ST) > ^ < application ID (HD)> ^ <type of data (ID)> ^ <subtype (ID)> |
|
PL |
Person location |
<point of care (IS )> ^ <room (IS )> ^ <bed (IS)> ^ <facility (HD)> ^ < location status (IS )> ^ <person location type (IS)> ^ <building (IS )> ^ <floor (IS )> ^ <location description (ST)> |
|
PT |
Processing type |
<processing ID (ID)> ^ <processing mode (ID)> |
|
Date/Time | |||
DT |
Date |
YYYY[MM[DD]] |
|
TM |
Time |
HH[MM[SS[.S[S[S[S]]]]]][+/-ZZZZ] |
|
TS |
Time stamp |
YYYY[MM[DD[HHMM[SS[.S[S[S[S]]]]]]]][+/-ZZZZ] ^ <degree of precision> |
|
Code Values | |||
CE |
Coded element |
<identifier (ST)> ^ <text (ST)> ^ <name of coding system (ST)> ^ <alternate identifier (ST)> ^ <alternate text (ST)> ^ <name of alternate coding system (ST)> |
|
CF |
Coded element with formatted values |
<identifier (ID)> ^ <formatted text (FT)> ^ <name of coding system (ST)> ^ <alternate identifier (ID)> ^ <alternate formatted text (FT)> ^ <name of alternate coding system (ST)> |
|
CK |
Composite ID with check digit |
<ID number (NM)> ^ <check digit (NM)> ^ <code identifying the check digit scheme employed (ID)> ^ < assigning authority (HD)> |
|
CN |
Composite ID number and name |
<ID number (ST)> ^ <family name (ST)> ^ <given name (ST)> ^ <middle initial or name (ST)> ^ <suffix (e.g., JR or III) (ST)> ^ <prefix (e.g., DR) (ST)> ^ <degree (e.g., MD) (ST)> ^ <source table (IS)> ^ <assigning authority (HD)> |
|
CX |
Extended composite ID with check digit |
<ID (ST)> ^ <check digit (ST)> ^ <code identifying the check digit scheme employed (ID)> ^ < assigning authority (HD) )> ^ <identifier type code (IS)> ^ < assigning facility (HD) |
|
XCN |
Extended composite ID number and name |
In Version 2.3, use instead of the CN data type. <ID number (ST)> ^ <family name (ST)> ^ <given name (ST)> ^ <middle initial or name (ST)> ^ <suffix (e.g., JR or III) (ST)> ^ <prefix (e.g., DR) (ST)> ^ <degree (e.g., MD) (ST)> ^ <source table (IS)> ^ <assigning authority (HD)> ^ <name type code (ID)> ^ <identifier check digit (ST)> ^ <code identifying the check digit scheme employed (ID)> ^ <identifier type code (IS)> ^ <assigning facility (HD)> |
|
Generic | |||
CM |
Composite |
No new CMs are allowed after HL7 Version 2.2. Hence there are no new CMs in Version 2.3. |
|
Demographics | |||
AD |
Address |
<street address (ST)> ^ < other designation (ST)> ^ <city (ST)> ^ <state or province (ST)> ^ <zip or postal code (ST)> ^ <country (ID)> ^ <address type (ID)> ^ <other geographic designation (ST)> |
|
PN |
Person name |
<family name (ST)> ^ <given name (ST)> ^ <middle initial or name (ST)> ^ <suffix (e.g., JR or III) (ST)> ^ <prefix (e.g., DR) (ST)> ^ <degree (e.g., MD) (ST)> |
|
TN |
Telephone number |
[NN] [(999)]999-9999[X99999][B99999][C any text] |
|
XAD |
Extended address |
In Version 2.3, replaces the AD data type. <street address (ST)> ^ <other designation (ST)> ^ <city (ST)> ^ <state or province (ST)> ^ <zip or postal code (ST)> ^ <country (ID)> ^ < address type (ID)> ^ <other geographic designation (ST)> ^ <county/parish code (IS)> ^ <census tract (IS)> |
|
XPN |
Extended person name |
In Version 2.3, replaces the PN data type. <family name (ST)> ^ <given name (ST)> ^ <middle initial or name (ST)> ^ <suffix (e.g., JR or III) (ST)> ^ <prefix (e.g., DR) (ST)> ^ <degree (e.g., MD) (ST)> ^ <name type code (ID) > |
|
XON |
Extended composite name and ID number for organizations |
<organization name (ST)>^ <organization name type code (IS)> ^ <ID number (NM)> ^ <check digit (NM)> ^ <code identifying the check digit scheme employed (ID)> ^ <assigning authority (HD)> ^ <identifier type code (IS)> ^ <assigning facility ID (HD)> |
|
XTN |
Extended telecommunications number |
In Version 2.3, replaces the TN data type. [NNN] [(999)]999-9999 [X99999] [B99999] [C any text] ^<telecommunication use code (ID)> ^ <telecommunication equipment type (ID)>^ <email address (ST)> ^ <country code (NM)> ^ <area/city code (NM)> ^ <phone number (NM)> ^ <extension (NM)> ^ <any text (ST)> |
|
Specialty/Chapter Specific | |||
Waveform | |||
CD |
Channel definition |
For waveform data only, see Chapter 7, Section 7.15.3. <channel identifier (*)> ^ <channel number (NM)> & <channel name (ST)>> ^ <electrode names (*) > ^ <channel sensitivity/units (*) > ^ <calibration parameters (*)> ^ <sampling frequency (NM)> ^ <minimum/maximum data values (*)> |
|
MA |
Multiplexed array |
For waveform data only, see Chapter 7, Section 7.15.2. <sample 1 from channel 1 (NM)> ^ <sample 1 from channel 2 (NM)> ^ <sample 1 from channel 3 (NM)> ...~<sample 2 from channel 1 (NM)> ^ <sample 2 from channel 2 (NM)> ^ <sample 2 from channel 3 (NM)> ...~ |
|
NA |
Numeric array |
For waveform data only, see Chapter 7, Section 7.15.1. <value1 (NM)> ^ <value2 (NM)> ^ <value3 (NM)> ^ <value4 (NM)> ^ ... |
|
ED |
Encapsulated data |
Supports ASCII MIME-encoding of binary data. <source application (HD) > ^ <main type of data (ID)> ^ <data subtype (ID)> ^ <encoding (ID)> ^ <data (ST)> |
|
Price data | |||
CP |
Composite price |
In Version 2.3, replaces the MO data type. <price (MO)> ^ <price type (ID)> ^ <from value (NM)> ^ <to value (NM)> ^ <range units (CE)> ^ <range type (ID)> |
|
ADT/Finance | |||
FC |
Financial class |
<financial class (ID)> ^ <effective date (TS)> |
|
Extended Queries | |||
QSC |
Query selection criteria |
<name of field (ST)> ^ <relational operator (ID)> ^ <value (ST)> ^ <relational conjunction (ID)> |
|
QIP |
Query input parameter list: |
<field name (ST) > ^ <value1 (ST) & value2 (ST) & value3 (ST) ...> |
|
RCD |
Row column definition: |
<HL7 item number (ST)> ^ <HL7 data type (ST)> ^ <maximum column width (NM)> |
|
Master Files | |||
DLN |
Driver's license number |
<license number (ST)> ^ <issuing state, province, country (IS)> ^ <expiration date (DT) |
|
JCC |
Job code/class |
<job code (IS)> ^ <job class (IS)> |
|
VH |
Visiting hours |
<start day range (ID)> ^ <end day range (ID)> ^ <start hour range (TM)> ^ <end hour range (TM)> |
|
Medical Records/Information Management | |||
PPN |
Performing person time stamp: |
<ID number (ST)> ^ <family name (ST)> ^ <given name (ST)> ^ <middle initial or name (ST)> ^ <suffix (e.g., JR or III) (ST)> ^ <prefix (e.g., DR) (ST)> ^ <degree (e.g., MD) (ST)> ^ <source table (IS)> ^ <assigning authority (HD)> ^ <name type code(ID)> ^ <identifier check digit (ST)> ^ <code identifying the check digit scheme employed (ID )> ^ <identifier type code (IS)> ^ <assigning facility (HD)> ^ < date/time action performed (TS)> |
|
Time Series: | |||
DR |
Scheduling Chapter Only: <range start date/time (TS)> ^ <range end date/time (TS)> |
||
RI |
Scheduling Chapter Only: <repeat pattern (IS)> ^ <explicit time interval (ST)> |
||
SCV |
Scheduling Chapter Only: <parameter class (IS)> ^ <parameter value (IS)> |
||
TQ |
Timing/quantity |
For timing/quantity specifications for orders, see Chapter 4, Section 4.4. <quantity (CQ)> ^ <interval (*)> ^ <duration (*)> ^ <start date/time (TS)> ^ <end date/time (TS)> ^ <priority (ID)> ^ <condition (ST)> ^ <text (TX)> ^ <conjunction (ID)> ^ <order sequencing (*)> |
* for subcomponents of these elements please refer to the definition in the text.