Hybrid Mode

Configuring and using Aidbox terminology module in hybrid mode with local and external terminology servers

The terminology module operates in three distinct modes to accommodate different deployment scenarios.

We recommend Hybrid Mode as it strikes a balance between control and convenience. Organizations can manage their specific resources and local Implementation Guides while avoiding the operational burden of downloading and maintaining gigabytes of large terminologies like SNOMED CT or LOINC.

Operational Modes

Local

Local mode uses only the resources stored within Aidbox's FAR. This mode provides complete control over terminology content but requires all necessary CodeSystems to be explicitly loaded into the system. If the system encounters a request for content not available locally, it returns an error rather than attempting external lookups.

The example below shows expanding the us-core-clinical-result-observation-category ValueSet (success) versus the us-core-condition-code ValueSet (failure).

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Aidbox
    participant FAR
    
    Note over User,FAR: Loading Implementation Guide
    User->>+Aidbox: Load US Core IG
    Aidbox->>+FAR: Store ValueSets/CodeSystems
    FAR-->>-Aidbox: Resources stored
    Aidbox-->>-User: IG loaded successfully
    
    Note over User,FAR: Expanding local ValueSet (success)
    User->>+Aidbox: $expand observation-category
    Aidbox->>+FAR: Query local resources
    FAR-->>-Aidbox: Resource found
    Aidbox-->>-User: ✅ Expansion successful
    
    Note over User,FAR: Expanding remote ValueSet (failure)
    User->>+Aidbox: $expand condition-code
    Aidbox->>+FAR: Query local resources
    FAR->>-Aidbox: Resource not found
    Aidbox->>-User: ❌ Error: Resource not available locally

Hybrid

Hybrid mode combines local storage with external terminology server capabilities. CodeSystems stored in FAR take precedence, but when content is not available locally, the system connects to an external terminology server to retrieve the required information. This approach balances performance and completeness, allowing organizations to maintain local control over critical terminology while accessing comprehensive external resources when needed.

The hybrid engine intelligently handles mixed ValueSets that reference both local and remote CodeSystems. For example, when processing a ValueSet with multiple include elements—one filtering a locally available CodeSystem and another filtering a remote CodeSystem—the engine efficiently partitions the request: it processes local includes directly from FAR while converting remote includes into optimized requests to the external terminology server. The final response consolidates both local and remote results into a single, complete result.

The example below shows the same scenario as Local Mode, but now the us-core-condition-code ValueSet expansion succeeds by falling back to the remote terminology server.

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant AidboxTX
    participant FAR
    participant Remote as Remote TX Server
    
    Note over User,Remote: Loading Implementation Guide
    User->>+FAR: Load US Core IG
    FAR->>FAR: Store
    FAR-->>-User: IG loaded successfully
    
    Note over User,Remote: Expanding local ValueSet (success)
    User->>+AidboxTX: $expand observation-category
    AidboxTX->>+FAR: Query local resources
    FAR-->>-AidboxTX: Resource found
    AidboxTX-->>-User: ✅ Expansion successful
    
    Note over User,Remote: Expanding remote ValueSet (fallback success)
    User->>+AidboxTX: $expand condition-code
    AidboxTX->>+FAR: Query local resources
    FAR->>-AidboxTX: Resource not found
    AidboxTX->>+Remote: $expand condition-code
    Remote-->>-AidboxTX: Expansion result
    AidboxTX-->>-User: ✅ Expansion successful

Remote (Legacy)

In Remote mode, Aidbox routes all terminology requests to an external terminology server, bypassing local storage entirely. This mode is useful for organizations that prefer to rely on established external terminology services or are in the process of migrating their terminology infrastructure.

The example below shows both us-core-clinical-result-observation-category and us-core-condition-code ValueSet expansions being routed directly to the remote terminology server, regardless of local availability.

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Aidbox
    participant Remote as Remote TX Server
    
    Note over User,Remote: Loading Implementation Guide
    User->>+Aidbox: Load US Core IG
    Aidbox-->>-User: IG loaded
    
    Note over User,Remote: Expanding ValueSet (remote)
    User->>+Aidbox: $expand observation-category
    Aidbox->>+Remote: $expand observation-category
    Remote-->>-Aidbox: Expansion result
    Aidbox-->>-User: ✅ Expansion successful

ConceptMap in Hybrid Mode

ConceptMap operations follow the same hybrid principles as ValueSet and CodeSystem operations, using local ConceptMap resources when available and falling back to external terminology servers when needed. The $translate operation implements intelligent request routing that maximizes performance while ensuring comprehensive translation coverage.

Local ConceptMap Resolution

When a $translate request is received, Aidbox first queries ConceptMap resources stored in the local FHIR Artifact Registry. If matching ConceptMaps are found that can handle the translation request, the operation completes using local resources without external server communication.

The example below shows successful translation using a locally stored ConceptMap for administrative gender mapping:

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant AidboxTX
    participant FAR
    
    Note over User,FAR: ConceptMap translation (local)
    User->>+AidboxTX: $translate gender code
    AidboxTX->>+FAR: Query ConceptMap resources
    FAR-->>-AidboxTX: ConceptMap found
    AidboxTX-->>-User: ✅ Translation successful

External Fallback for ConceptMaps

When local ConceptMaps cannot handle a translation request—either because no relevant ConceptMap exists locally or because the mapping references external CodeSystems—the hybrid engine forwards the request to the configured external terminology server. This ensures comprehensive translation coverage while maintaining optimal performance for frequently used mappings.

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant AidboxTX
    participant FAR
    participant Remote as Remote TX Server
    
    Note over User,Remote: ConceptMap translation (fallback)
    User->>+AidboxTX: $translate complex mapping
    AidboxTX->>+FAR: Query ConceptMap resources
    FAR->>-AidboxTX: No suitable ConceptMap found
    AidboxTX->>+Remote: $translate with parameter conversion
    Remote-->>-AidboxTX: Translation result
    AidboxTX-->>-User: ✅ Translation successful

Parameter Normalization

The hybrid engine automatically handles parameter format differences between FHIR versions when communicating with external servers. R5-style parameters like sourceCode and sourceSystem are converted to R4-compatible formats (code and system) to ensure compatibility with external terminology servers that may not support the latest FHIR version.

Multiple ConceptMap Scenarios

The $translate operation can return multiple matches when several ConceptMaps provide valid translations for the same source code, providing comprehensive coverage of available mappings.

External Terminology Servers

Termbox (Recommended)

For access to up-to-date curated terminologies in Hybrid Mode, we recommend Termbox.

Termbox is a cloud-based FHIR Terminology Server developed by Health Samurai. It delivers Terminology as a Service, giving developers and organizations an easy way to work with curated, up-to-date terminologies through a standardized FHIR interface.

Configuration:

FHIR_TERMINOLOGY_ENGINE: hybrid
FHIR_TERMINOLOGY_ENGINE_HYBRID_EXTERNAL_TX_SERVER: https://tx.health-samurai.io/fhir

Termbox provides comprehensive coverage of standard terminologies including SNOMED CT, LOINC, RxNorm, and ICD-10, with regular updates and reliable availability.

Tested External Servers

The Aidbox Hybrid Mode has been tested and verified to work with the following external terminology servers:

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Last updated 2025-08-28T08:34:30Z