Measurement ranges are defined in the following, different resources:

• ActivityDefinition, in the extension ActivityDefinition.ehealth-referenceRange . These are generic, that is, non-patient specific ranges applicable for the particular activity, say, a measurement of oxygen saturation.

• ServiceRequest, in the extension ServiceRequest.ehealth-referenceRange. These are patient-specific ranges applicable to the particular activity in the particular CarePlan referencing the ServiceRequest. A Patient can have multiple CarePlan with multiple ServiceRequest and therefore, possibly differing measurement ranges even for the same activity type, say, measurement of oxygen saturation.

• Observation, in the element Observation.referenceRange

As is reflected in the cardinality, multiple reference ranges can be defined simultaneously. Upon submission of an Observation, the reference ranges defined in the referenced ServiceRequest are copied to the Observation by the service. This way, the set of measurement ranges in effect at the time of submission are captured in the Observation, regardless of how they Patient-specific reference ranges in ServiceRequest are maintained and altered.

The structure used in the extension ehealth-referenceRange contains the following subset of elements defined in Observation.referenceRange:

• low - the lower end of the range

• high - the higher end of the range

• type - the type of measurement range

Absolute Measurement Ranges

In the figure below, example measurement ranges have been given as absolute measurement ranges. Absolute measurement ranges are always given in the same unit as measured/submitted values.

Relative Measurement Ranges

In the figure below, example measurement ranges have been given as relative measurement ranges. Relative measurement ranges can be given:

• as percentage change

  • as unit percent if measured/submitted values are not already given as percent.

  • as unit percent point if measured/submitted values are already given as percent.

• as same unit as measured/submitted values

Maintaining a Reference Base for Relative Reference Ranges

Certain use of relative reference ranges involves an automated processing type of Library (see https://ehealth-dk.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/EDTW/pages/1251409937/Library+Resources#Assessment-of-Relative-Reference-Ranges-Library-and-Rule ) which compares a submitted measurement against a reference base.

The reference base is captured in a FHIR Goal with the following characteristics:

• start has a startDate

• target.measure is an observation code in the ValueSet goal-target-measure similar to that of the corresponding ActivityDefinition

  • For an ActivityDefinition with code being a Coding of Blood Pressure (or other composite measurement), a number of Goal should be made with respective target.measure matching the components (e.g. systolic and diastolic blood pressure for blood pressure).

• addresses is a reference to the ServiceRequest where the relative reference range is maintained.

Measurement Range Overlaps

Certain consideration should be made when maintaining measurement ranges in the eHealth Infrastructure. For the current list of allowed measurement range types, some can overlap and some typically should not, or at least only at their low or high bounds.

In principle, each measurement range can be well-defined in itself. Also in principle, it should be possible to state facts and perform triaging simply by comparing a measured, submitted value against all the corresponding measurement ranges. For instance, a submitted value of 75.0 kg could be stated to:

• be within the absolute measurement range for yellow alarm

• be within the absolute measurement range for red alarm

• be outside the absolute, normal measurement range

This could be triaged by creating:

• a Task with priority corresponding to red alarm

• a Task with priority corresponding to yellow alarm

The measurement ranges shown above overlap in boundaries only. It is up to the clinician's discretion whether to allow overlaps beyond boundaries.

• Measurement Range Boundary Overlap Only. It is expected that, within the same reference range type, overlaps occur for boundaries only.

• Relative Measurement Range Boundary Overlap Only per Unit. It is expected that relative measurement ranges, although they might overlap if defined as both percentage and in same unit as submitted values, will overlap per measurement range unit for boundaries only.

Handling of Boundary Overlaps

In automated rules (See Processing of Automated Processing Rules), boundary overlaps shall, unless stated explicitly otherwise, be handled by choosing the worst-case situation. For the above submitted value of 75.0 kg, such preference results in:

• stating that the (submitted) is within the absolute measurement range for red alarm

• stating that the (submitted) is outside the absolute, normal measurement range

• a Task with priority corresponding to red alarm

Handling of non-Boundary Overlaps

Automated rules (See Processing of Automated Processing Rules), does not handle non-boundary overlaps in measurement ranges, unless stated explicitly otherwise.