Which document markup standard specifies the structure and semantics of clinical documents for the purpose of exchange between healthcare providers and patients?

The Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) is the correct answer because it is a standard developed by Health Level Seven International (HL7) that defines the structure and semantics of clinical documents for the exchange of information between healthcare providers and patients. The CDA provides a framework for the creation of electronic clinical documents, enabling interoperability and facilitating the sharing of healthcare information in a consistent format. It ensures that clinical documents can be easily interpreted and used by different systems, promoting better communication and coordination of care.

CDA documents contain essential information, such as patient demographics, clinical findings, and treatment plans, and are designed to be shared across different healthcare providers, making them crucial for continuity of care. The structure of CDA documents allows for embedded clinical data while maintaining human-readable text, bridging the gap between standardized data exchange and practical usability.

In contrast, Observation Results (ORU) are specific messages that convey clinical observations, and while they are important, they focus more on the results of tests rather than a comprehensive clinical document structure. The Admission, Discharge, Transfer (ADT) messages pertain to the administrative aspects of patient care and track movements of patients within healthcare facilities, which does not encompass the entirety of clinical documentation. Fast Health Interoperability Resources (FHIR) is