The intent of this segment is to describe the characteristics of a specimen. It differs from the intent of the OBR in that the OBR addresses order-specific information. It differs from the SAC segment in that the SAC addresses specimen container attributes. An advantage afforded by a separate specimen segment is that it generalizes the multiple relationships among order(s), results, specimen(s) and specimen container(s).

A specimen is defined as "A physical entity that is an individual, a group, an item, or a part representative of a larger group, class or whole that is the target of an observation or analysis for the purpose of drawing conclusions about the group, class, or whole." Note that any physical entity in the universe has the potential to become a specimen

29
C.LenElementv2.5FHIR
1..4-SIO1-01754SPM-1Set ID - SPM-
2..855-EIPO1-01755SPM-2Specimen IDLength2 mappings
3..855-EIPO*-01756SPM-3Specimen Parent IDsLength2 mappings
4..705-CWER1048701900SPM-4Specimen TypeLengthtype
5..705-CWEO*054101757SPM-5Specimen Type ModifierLength-
6..705-CWEO*037101758SPM-6Specimen AdditivesLengthcontainer.additiveCodeableConcept
7..705-CWEO1048801759SPM-7Specimen Collection MethodLengthcollection.method
8..705-CWEO1999901901SPM-8Specimen Source Site2collection.bodySite
9..705-CWEO*054201760SPM-9Specimen Source Site ModifierLength-
10..705-CWEO1054301761SPM-10Specimen Collection SiteLength-
11..705-CWEO*036901762SPM-11Specimen RoleLength-
12..20-CQO1-01902SPM-12Specimen Collection Amountcollection.quantity
13..6-NMC1-01763SPM-13Grouped Specimen Count-
14..250-STO*-01764SPM-14Specimen Descriptionnote(Annotation.text)
15..705-CWEO*037601908SPM-15Specimen Handling CodeLength-
16..705-CWEO*048901903SPM-16Specimen Risk CodeLength-
17..49-DRO1-01765SPM-17Specimen Collection Date/TimeLength2 mappings
18..24-DTMO1-00248SPM-18Specimen Received Date/Time2receivedTime
19..24-DTMO1-01904SPM-19Specimen Expiration Date/Time2-
20..1-IDO1013601766SPM-20Specimen Availabilitystatus
21..705-CWEO*049001767SPM-21Specimen Reject ReasonLength-
22..705-CWEO1049101768SPM-22Specimen QualityLength-
23..705-CWEO1049201769SPM-23Specimen AppropriatenessLength-
24..705-CWEO*049301770SPM-24Specimen ConditionLengthcondition
25..722-CQO1-01771SPM-25Specimen Current QuantityLength-
26..4-NMO1-01772SPM-26Number of Specimen Containers-
27..705-CWEO1999901773SPM-27Container Type2container.type
28..705-CWEO1054401774SPM-28Container ConditionLength-
29..705-CWEO1049401775SPM-29Specimen Child RoleLength-
22