FHIR Bundle explained: the nine bundle types and when to use each

Short answer: A Bundle is the FHIR resource that groups other resources: search results, a set of writes sent in one request, a clinical document such as a patient summary, or a message. Its type says what the group means and how a server must handle it.

The nine types in FHIR R4

• searchset: the results of a search, with paging links.
• transaction: writes processed all-or-nothing; if one fails, none is applied.
• batch: writes processed independently; each entry succeeds or fails on its own.
• transaction-response / batch-response: what the server returns for each.
• document: a clinical document (the first entry is a Composition), such as the International Patient Summary; it is signed or stored as a whole.
• message: a message, the first entry is a MessageHeader.
• history: the versions of resources.
• collection: a set of resources with no further meaning.

Transaction vs batch

Use a transaction when the resources depend on each other, for example a Patient and the Observations that reference it: references between entries can use temporary urn:uuid: identifiers that the server resolves. Use a batch for independent operations where partial success is acceptable.

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "type": "transaction",
  "entry": [
    {"fullUrl": "urn:uuid:61ebe359-bfdc-4613-8bf2-c5e300945f0a",
     "resource": {"resourceType": "Patient", "name": [{"family": "Example"}]},
     "request": {"method": "POST", "url": "Patient"}},
    {"resource": {"resourceType": "Observation", "status": "final",
       "code": {"coding": [{"system": "http://loinc.org", "code": "8867-4"}]},
       "subject": {"reference": "urn:uuid:61ebe359-bfdc-4613-8bf2-c5e300945f0a"},
       "valueQuantity": {"value": 72, "unit": "/min", "system": "http://unitsofmeasure.org", "code": "/min"}},
     "request": {"method": "POST", "url": "Observation"}}
  ]
}

In Anpheros

Anpheros Platform accepts transaction and batch bundles and returns searchset bundles with paging; the International Patient Summary is returned as a document bundle. See the FHIR sandbox to try them, and the International Patient Summary in FHIR.

Related pages

• FHIR search explained
• FHIR R4 vs R5

Sources

• HL7 FHIR R4: Bundle
• HL7 FHIR R4: Bundle types

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a FHIR transaction and a batch?

A transaction is all-or-nothing; a batch processes each entry independently.

How do I reference a resource created in the same bundle?

Give it a fullUrl such as urn:uuid:… and use that as the reference; in a transaction the server replaces it with the real id.

What type is a patient summary?

A document bundle whose first entry is a Composition.

Why does my search return a Bundle?

Search results are always a searchset bundle, with links to the next page.

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The Anpheros team

Anpheros builds a medical record that the patient controls and can share with any clinic, on an HL7 FHIR R4 platform, based in the EU. These guides help you understand and organise your health; they do not replace your doctor.

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