HL7 CQ Composite Quantity with Units
HL7 datatype components CQ components from HL7 v2.5.1 Hide components
CQ is quantity with units. The quantity by itself is rarely enough; the unit is part of the value. A dose of 5, a supply of 5, and a specimen amount of 5 all need the unit to be useful.
In this guide, CQ appears in TQ, BLC.2, INV.19, INV.20, OBR.9, OM4.10 and related fields. That used-by list is a good reality check: the datatype is only half the story, and the field that uses it tells you the workflow.
The component panel above is expanded by default because most datatype pages are used as quick lookup pages. Start there for the exact HL7 v2.5.1 shape, then use the notes below for the practical gotchas.
CQ-1 to CQ-2: Component Quick Read
The generated component panel above is the formal quick lookup. The short version is below so you can scan the shape without counting carets by eye.
Practical Notes
Keep numeric values numeric. Do not mix display formatting, unit text, or currency labels into the number component when the datatype has a separate place for that meaning. A format validator for whole numbers or decimals is a simple way to catch this before the receiving system has to complain.
In HL7 Soup Web, click a field that uses CQ and the interpretation view will show which component you are sitting in and where that value lives in the raw message. That is especially handy with compact datatypes because one missing caret can move every value after it.
Official and Reference Notes
For formal reference, compare the generated HL7 v2.5.1 panel above with the HL7 v2.5.1 datatype list and the HL7 Terminology data type code system. Local implementation guides can narrow allowed values, tables, and component usage.