The value of the ODM standard, like any information standard, is enhanced when systems can be developed with the assumption that ODM files have a high level of conformity. A computing system that processes information in ODM format can claim conformance to this standard only if it obeys the following rules.
For systems generating ODM files or messages:
- Generated ODM files and messages must satisfy all the relevant correctness rules in this standard, both syntactic and semantic.
- Information in generated ODM files and messages must be accurate according to the rules of this standard as defined in this specification.
- At least one of the published media types, XML or JSON, must be supported.
- APIs generating ODM files and messages must have their endpoints and returned resources documented.
- All ODM generation limitations or constraints must be documented.
- If conformity of generated ODM files and messages is dependent on certain system modes or settings, this must be documented.
Generated ODM files or messages must satisfy any ODM conformance rules that exist for the relevant use case.
For systems receiving ODM files or messages:
- A receiving system must interpret information read from an ODM file or ODM API accurately according to the rules of this standard as defined in this specification.
- A receiving system must support at least one of the published media types, XML or JSON.
- A receiving system that does not normally support one or more of the datatypes specified in Section 2.14, Data Formats, should accept clinical data of the unsupported types as text.
- A receiving system must document all ODM processing limitations or constraints.
- A receiving system must document all system settings or modes of operation needed to receive and process ODM files or messages.