FHIR $validate-operation (Validate FHIR Bundle)

Fhir supports the $validate operation, which allows clients to verify that a resource conforms to expected structure, profiles, and implementation rules without actually storing or processing the resource.

Purpose

This endpoint can be used to check whether a request would succeed before performing the actual operation. A FHIR OperationOutcome is returned to the client with warnings or errors related to the Bundle.
The resource is not persisted or processed further when using $validate.

Endpoint

POST <baseurl>/R4/fhir/Bundle/$validate

The supported content type is application/fhir+json

Request

Submit the FHIR Resource to validate in the request body.

POST <baseurl>/R4/fhir/Bundle/$validate
Content-Type: application/fhir+json

{
  "resourceType": "Bundle",
  "type": "transaction",
  "entry": [
    {
      "resource": {
        "resourceType": "DocumentReference"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Response

The endpoint returns a FHIR OperationOutcome resource describing the validation result, including the location of the issues within the Resource structure.

{
  "resourceType": "OperationOutcome",
  "issue": [
    {
      "severity": "warning",
      "code": "invalid",
      "diagnostics": "Unknown OID for Organization identifier",
      "location": [
        "Bundle.entry[3].resource[0]"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Supported Validation

Validation currently includes:

• FHIR structural validation
• Validation against relevant IHE MHD profiles
• Identifier and OID format checks
• Implementation-specific validation rules

Example Workflow

Typical usage:

1. Client submits a bundle using $validate
2. Server returns validation results
3. Client fixes any issues
4. Client submits the bundle normally

POST /Bundle/$validate
        ↓
OperationOutcome
        ↓
POST /Bundle

Validated elements

⚠️ Note!
If the value of a CodeSystem is not known, it is treated as a Warning
If the CodeSystem is known, but the Value is not, it is treated as Error