A ValueSet resource instances specifies a set of codes drawn from one or more code systems, intended for use in a particular context. Value sets link between CodeSystem definitions and their use in [coded elements](terminologies.html). When using value sets, proper differentiation between a code system and a value set is important. This is one very common area where significant clinical safety risks occur in practice.


  • Value sets used by an implementation guide should have a "compose" defined which asserts either the enumerated codes that should be included in the value sets, or asserts other value sets that should be included (making the value set a "wrapper" of sorts).
  • Enumerated codes are shown/edited in the "Compose" tab's "Concepts" section. This section is paged, showing five (5) codes at a time. You may search for a concept by either the code or display values by entering text in the "Code (search)" and "Display (search)" fields shown at the top of the table.
  • Additional fields (such as the "Designations") may be modified for each concept by clicking the "Edit" button.


Below the table of (at most) five (5) concepts is a set of buttons which allow you to control which page you are viewing/editing.

  • The << button returns you to the first page of concepts
  • The >> button moves you to the last page of concepts
  • The < button moves you one page backward
  • The > button moves you one page forward
  • Selecting a number will bring you to that specific page number


The "Value Sets" section allows you to indicate what value sets should be included in this value set. Each entry in the "Value Sets" section represents the canonical URL of the value set (ValueSet.url).

When publishing an implementation guide which has a value set that references other value sets, those other value sets must be available to the FHIR IG Publisher via one of the following methods:

  • Included in the implementation guide itself (via a resource referenced in the ImplementationGuide resource)
  • The ValueSet is publicly available by the URL of the value set (e.x. putting the URL of the value set in a browser should return the ValueSet in either XML or JSON format)
  • The terminology server used by the FHIR IG Publisher (tx.fhir.org) has the value set pre-loaded