use of the word "profile", "profiling"; is confusing - recommend 'constraint'

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    • Type: Change Request
    • Resolution: Not Persuasive with Modification
    • Priority: Medium
    • FHIR Core (FHIR)
    • STU3
    • FHIR Infrastructure
    • Normative
    • Conformance Rules
      Extensibility
      Profiling
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      change sentence on profiling page from "The term "profile" is a general one that is used about either a "package" or an "item". "Profiling" is a general term that describes the process of creating an implementation guide, or any of the conformance resources found in one."

      move it into table and define "Profile" as a set of constraints on a resource represented as a structure definition with kind = constraint"

      and add a note under the table: "The verb 'profile' or 'profiling' is used to describe the process of creating a 'profile'"

      Ewout to go through and check that the language is consistent with this and discuss ambiguous situations on Zulip. + separate out profiles and packages on profilelist.html

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      change sentence on profiling page from "The term "profile" is a general one that is used about either a "package" or an "item". "Profiling" is a general term that describes the process of creating an implementation guide, or any of the conformance resources found in one." move it into table and define "Profile" as a set of constraints on a resource represented as a structure definition with kind = constraint" and add a note under the table: "The verb 'profile' or 'profiling' is used to describe the process of creating a 'profile'" Ewout to go through and check that the language is consistent with this and discuss ambiguous situations on Zulip. + separate out profiles and packages on profilelist.html
    • Ewout Kramer / Yunwei Wang: 9-0-0
    • Clarification
    • Non-substantive
    • STU3

      IHE has used the word Profiling for decades. This word has been used for similar level of use-case by WS-I, OASIS, W3C, and IETF. In all cases the use of the word Profiling is broader than used in FHIR specification. In those cases the use of the word is more closely aligned with HL7 "Implementation Guide". This is known to the healthcare interop community, they understand this.

      The FHIR use of profiling as a sub class of StructureDefinition is sewing confusion. I understand the technical reasons for using the word profile for what it is being used for regarding StructureDefinition. This is however not complete enough. This lesser meaning is technically correct, I am not arguing on technical means. I am arguing on human understanding, and ultimately specification understanding.

      Arguments that FHIR use of 'profiling' is too baked into the specificaiton is unacceptable since it is not in FHIR in any normative way. Where it is normatively baked into IHE and other organizations.

      Thus please change from "profile" and "profiling" to "constraint", and "constraining". This is far more close to what you are including in the definition.

      Or use some other word or phrase. Continuing to sew confusion in the healthcare space over this simple word is unacceptable. There is no benefit gained by this confusion.

            Assignee:
            Unassigned
            Reporter:
            John Moehrke
            Watchers:
            1 Start watching this issue

              Created:
              Updated:
              Resolved: