Archetype Object Model 2 (AOM2) STABLE

The object model of an ADL 2 archetype in memory. This specification is the primary reference for tool developers building archetype editors, validators, repository software, and template engines, as it defines exactly how archetype structure, constraints, terminology, and specialisation are represented in a conformant implementation. AOM 1.4 is the predecessor aligned with the ADL 1.4 formalism. The AOM includes a full constraint type hierarchy, terminology binding model, and specialisation semantics covering both differential and flat forms.

Purpose

This document contains the normative description of openEHR Archetype and Template semantics (originally described in [1] and [2]), in the form of an object model. The model presented here can be used as a basis for building software that represents archetypes and templates, independent of their persistent representation. Equally, it can be used to develop the output side of parsers that process archetypes in a linguistic format, such as the openEHR Archetype Definition Language (ADL) , XML and so on.

It is recommended in any case that the ADL specification be read in conjunction with this document, since it contains a detailed explanation of the semantics of archetypes, and many of the examples are more obvious in ADL, regardless of whether ADL is actually used with the object model presented here or not.

The release of AOM described in this specification corresponds to the 2.x version of the archetype formalism.

The intended audience includes:

  • Standards bodies producing health informatics standards;

  • Research groups using openEHR, ISO 13606, and other EHR or EHR exchange architectures;

  • The open source healthcare community;

  • EHR solution vendors;

  • Medical informaticians and clinicians interested in health information.

Related Documents

Prerequisite documents for reading this document include:

Related documents include:

Nomenclature

In this document, the term 'attribute' denotes any stored property of a type defined in an object model, including primitive attributes and any kind of relationship such as an association or aggregation. XML 'attributes' are always referred to explicitly as 'XML attributes'.

We also use the word 'archetype' in a broad sense to designate what are commonly understood to be 'archetypes' (specifications of clinical data groups / data constraints) and 'templates' (data sets based on archetypes, since at a technical level, an ADL/AOM 2 template is in fact just an archetype. Accordingly, statements about 'archetypes' in this specification can be always understood to also apply to templates, unless otherwise indicated.

Feedback

Feedback may be provided on the openEHR ADL forum.

Issues may be raised on the specifications Problem Report tracker.

To see changes made due to previously reported issues, see the AM component Change Request tracker.

References