## Retrieve a clinical reference by external reference ID

**get** `/v1/autoScribe/clinicalReferences/byExternalReferenceId/{externalReferenceId}`

Retrieves a single clinical reference by its integrator-provided external reference identifier.

### Path Parameters

- `externalReferenceId: string`

  Integrator-provided external reference identifier

### Returns

- `ClinicalReference object { clinicalReferenceId, createdAt, isActive, 6 more }`

  A canonical clinical reference value for study workflow pickers and normalization

  - `clinicalReferenceId: string`

    Unique clinical reference identifier. Format: ref_{32-hex-chars}

  - `createdAt: string`

    Timestamp when the clinical reference was created

  - `isActive: boolean`

    Whether this reference is active and available for pickers

  - `name: string`

    Canonical display name for this reference value

  - `type: ClinicalReferenceType`

    Category of canonical clinical reference value used for study workflow pickers and normalization.

    - `"facility"`

    - `"referring_provider"`

    - `"study_description"`

    - `"procedure"`

  - `updatedAt: string`

    Timestamp when the clinical reference was last updated

  - `expressCustomer: optional ExpressCustomerReference`

    A reference to an Express customer with basic identifying information

    - `expressCustomerId: string`

      Unique Express customer identifier. Format: cus_{32-hex-chars}

    - `expressCustomerName: string`

      Name of the Express customer

  - `externalReferenceId: optional string`

    Integrator-provided stable identifier for mapping inbound data

  - `metadata: optional map[string]`

    Optional key-value metadata. Maximum 50 pairs

### Example

```http
curl https://api.avarasoftware.com/v1/autoScribe/clinicalReferences/byExternalReferenceId/$EXTERNAL_REFERENCE_ID \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $AVARA_API_KEY"
```

#### Response

```json
{
  "clinicalReferenceId": "ref_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef",
  "createdAt": "2024-01-15T09:00:00Z",
  "isActive": true,
  "name": "City Medical Center",
  "type": "facility",
  "updatedAt": "2024-03-15T14:20:00Z",
  "expressCustomer": {
    "expressCustomerId": "cus_1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef",
    "expressCustomerName": "City Medical Center"
  },
  "externalReferenceId": "FAC-001",
  "metadata": {
    "region": "northeast"
  }
}
```