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

32
C.LenElementv2.8FHIR
11..4-SIO1-01754SPM-1Set ID - SPM-
2--EIPO1-01755SPM-2Specimen ID2 mappings
3--EIPO*-01756SPM-3Specimen Parent IDs2 mappings
4--CWER1048701900SPM-4Specimen Typetype
5--CWEO*054101757SPM-5Specimen Type Modifier-
6--CWEO*037101758SPM-6Specimen Additivescontainer.additiveCodeableConcept
7--CWEO1048801759SPM-7Specimen Collection Methodcollection.method
8--CWEO1999901901SPM-8Specimen Source Sitecollection.bodySite
9--CWEO*054201760SPM-9Specimen Source Site Modifier-
10--CWEO1054301761SPM-10Specimen Collection Site-
11--CWEO*036901762SPM-11Specimen Role-
12--CQO1-01902SPM-12Specimen Collection Amountcollection.quantity
13--NMC1-01763SPM-13Grouped Specimen CountConf Length-
14--STO*-01764SPM-14Specimen Descriptionnote(Annotation.text)
15--CWEO*037601908SPM-15Specimen Handling Code-
16--CWEO*048901903SPM-16Specimen Risk Code-
17--DRO1-01765SPM-17Specimen Collection Date/Time2 mappings
18--DTMO1-00248SPM-18Specimen Received Date/TimereceivedTime
19--DTMO1-01904SPM-19Specimen Expiration Date/Time-
201-IDO1013601766SPM-20Specimen Availabilitystatus
21--CWEO*049001767SPM-21Specimen Reject Reason-
22--CWEO1049101768SPM-22Specimen Quality-
23--CWEO1049201769SPM-23Specimen Appropriateness-
24--CWEO*049301770SPM-24Specimen Conditioncondition
25--CQO1-01771SPM-25Specimen Current Quantity-
26--NMO1-01772SPM-26Number of Specimen ContainersConf Length-
27--CWEO1999901773SPM-27Container Typecontainer.type
28--CWEO1054401774SPM-28Container Condition-
29--CWEO1049401775SPM-29Specimen Child Role-
30--CXO*-02314SPM-30Accession IDaccessionIdentifier
31--CXO*-02315SPM-31Other Specimen IDidentifier[2]
32--EIO1-02316SPM-32Shipment ID3 mappings
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