HL7 OM5 Observation Batteries (Sets)
HL7 field reference OM5 fields from HL7 v2.5.1 Show fields
These are the generated fields for the version selected at the top of the page. The document stays the same, but the reference panel follows that version.
Fields
OM5 defines observation batteries or sets, tying individual observations into ordered groups.
The standard describes OM5 this way: This segment contains the information about batteries and supersets (a nature code of F, P or S, as described in OM1-18 - Nature of Service/Test/Observation).
Master-file segments update reference data rather than describing a single patient event. They define locations, staff, providers, test catalogs, charge items, inventory items, languages, certificates, and other shared records.
Because many downstream messages depend on this data, small changes here can have large effects. Use stable identifiers, effective dates, action codes, and clear ownership rules instead of treating a master-file feed like a loose spreadsheet export.
The v2.5.1 structures show OM5 in MFN_M10 - Test /observation batteries master file. That tells you where it can appear, but the implementation guide still decides which optional fields are meaningful.
For practical interface work, read the generated field panel for datatype, required, repeatable, and table details, then use the notes below to decide what the field should mean in the receiving workflow.
OM5-1 identifies the Sequence Number - Test/Observation Master File for this master-file record. Send the identifier that the receiving system actually keys on, and keep the assigning authority or coding system visible when the datatype supports it.
OM5-2 carries Test/Observations Included within an Ordered Test Battery for this master-file record. Populate it only when the receiver has a clear use for it, and keep the value in the datatype shape shown in the generated field panel.
The generated panel links this to HL7 table 9999; many real interfaces narrow that list further, so follow the receiver's implementation guide.
OM5-3 identifies the Observation ID Suffixes for this master-file record. Send the identifier that the receiving system actually keys on, and keep the assigning authority or coding system visible when the datatype supports it.