See CDA Best Practices and FHIR Best Practices for more information

Single-Value Binding

A single-value binding is when you require that the element/attribute in the template/profile always have the same (pre-defined) value.

Example #1: SHALL contain 1..1 statusCode="completed"

Example #2: SHALL contain 1..1 code="42348-3" Advance Directives (CodeSystem: LOINC urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.6.1)

Value Set Binding

A value set binding is when you associate an element/attribute with a (already-defined) value set. A value set specifies a set of codes drawn from one or more code systems.

Specifying a value set allows the implementer of the template/profile to choose a code within the value set that is appropriate for the scenario.

Example: SHALL contain 1..1 code, which SHOULD be selected from ValueSet AdvanceDirectiveTypeCode urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.1.11.20.2 STATIC 2006-10-17

Code System Binding

A code system binding is when you associate an element/attribute with a (already-defined) code system. A code system is external terminology or ontology such as LOINC , or SNOMED CT.

Specifying a code system allows the implementer of the template/profile to choose a code from the code system that is appropriate for the scenario; such as allowing the implementer to choose any code from LOINC.

Example: SHALL contain 1..1 code, which SHOULD be selected from CodeSystem LOINC (urn:oid:2.16.840.1.113883.6.1)