AU Base Medication Request profile - needs clarification of purpose

[robeastwood-agency]

The AU Base Medication Request profile has aspects indicating that it is a "base" profile and others indicating that it is specifically for prescription. Therefore, its purpose needs clarification with consequential updates made to various parts of the profile to align.

Note that a medication request does not have to be a prescription - see the core spec MedicationRequest resource:

The resource is called "MedicationRequest" rather than "MedicationPrescription" or "MedicationOrder" to generalize the use across inpatient and outpatient settings, including care plans, etc., and to harmonize with workflow patterns.

and

It also includes orders for over-the-counter medications (e.g. Aspirin), total parenteral nutrition and diet/ vitamin supplements.

Aspects of the profile indicating a "base" profile:

• the name "AUBaseMedicationRequest"
• the title "AU Base Medication Request"
• supporting content in intro file

Aspects of the profile indicating a prescription:

• the description value: "...for use as a prescription in ..."
• root element short: "A prescription for a ..."
• root element definition: "Prescription of medication"
• short name of medicationReference: "Prescribed Medication"
• supporting content in intro file

[dtr-agency]

AU Base Medication Request is a base profile, if a prescription profile is desired a new profile with appropriate canonical url and set of rules should be created though I am not aware at the moment of a stakeholder request for an HL7 AU Prescription profile so I don't think there's any need to progress that option in the short term.