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The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines an archetype as "an original model, prototype or typical specimen". In openEHR, an archetype is the model (or pattern) for the capture of clinical information - a machine readable specification of how to store patient data using the openEHR Reference Model.
Archetypes are a the keystone of the openEHR architecture. Each archetype describes a complete clinical knowledge concept such as 'diagnosis' or 'test result'. , allowing clinician and domain expert involvement in the design and collaboration of standardised clinical content specifications for electronic health records.
Each archetype is a computable definition, or specification, for a single, discrete clinical concept. It is inclusive of all data elements that make clinical sense about that concept and designed for all imaginable clinical situations. The definition is kept broad and constraints minimal in order to maximise interoperability by being able to share and re-use the archetype across many types of healthcare and the broadest range of clinical scenarios. The specification is expressed in Archetype Definition Language (ADL), which is an ISO standard, but able to be viewed and reviewed in 'clinician-friendly' formats, as structured definitions and mind maps. By design, they provide structure and specify content which means that archetypes can be both clinically meaningful and AND interpretable by EHR systems. Archetyped data will have the same meaning no matter what context it is used within the EHR and, similarly, no matter which EHR system it is used or what language is used.
Archetypes should ideally be designed for stability and longevity – so the computable definition is able to withstand all types of use that can be imagined. However, it will never be possible to determine all use cases, and so while there is the potential to revise archetypes it is desirable to keep the revision process to a minimum. Hence the need to engage broadly with a wide range of domain experts - especially clinicians and any individuals or organisations who might potentially use the data for secondary purpose - at the time of reviewing and agreeing that an archetype is ready for use and publication to be inclusive of all requirements. This is a critical component of good archetype design when interoperability is the goal. The resulting stable pool of published archetypes will support health information and standardised implementation within systems.
Archetype Classes
COMPOSITION Class
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