PIDS11 — The spec is not clear enough on How to Handle Links

Summary: The spec is not clear enough on How to Handle Links

Based on clear feedback in HL7 forums, I know there is serious concern
over the fact that our Interfaces and info model show explicit support
for merges (merges deactivate one dupe and leave another intact) but
only implicit support for links (links leave multiple intact; In
effect, they simply assert or "record" dupes).

I find the last paragraph of 2.7 confusing: If PIDS implementations are
to be able to "carry administrative and auditing attributes such as
timestamp, user stamp, source system, and specific operation types",
then it raises thevalid question: how does the implementation know when
a link operation has occurred? We do not tell them anywhere in the spec
as it stands.