> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.olira.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Remove external identifiers from patient
> The only way to remove an external identifier — update_patient never removes.
```python Python theme={null}
olira.remove_patient_external_identifiers(
patient_id: str,
identifiers: list[ExternalIdentifierMatcher],
) -> ExternalIdentifierMutationResult
```
```csharp C# theme={null}
OliraModule.RemovePatientExternalIdentifiers(
string patientId,
IReadOnlyList identifiers,
) // -> ExternalIdentifierMutationResult
```
**Requires scope:** `api:manage-patients`
Each entry is a matcher: system + value (one row); system only (every identifier for that system — system=epic unlinks every connected Epic instance, use integration\_id alone to drop one hospital); integration\_id only (that instance); system + integration\_id (that system on that instance). Can match ANY identifier, including one owned by a platform integration: this is a deliberate, irreversible unlink, and under linked\_only import mode the patient immediately stops receiving further data from that integration. Idempotent — a matcher that matches nothing is skipped, not an error.
## Parameters
Olira patient id.
Matchers — a filter, not a full identifier. Construct with any of the shapes below. Rows match every field you set. At least one field is required. value without system is rejected (422).
System name, e.g. epic. Alone: every identifier for that system. system="epic" unlinks every connected Epic instance — use integration\_id alone to drop one hospital.
Value in that system. Requires system. With system: exactly one identifier (the common case).
Platform-assigned integration instance id. Alone: every identifier owned by that instance. With system: that system on that instance only.
## Returns
`ExternalIdentifierMutationResult`
Olira patient id.
Always 0 for this call.
Number of identifiers removed.
Number of matchers that matched nothing.
The patient's full external identifier list after the mutation.
## Raises
| Exception | When |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `AuthError` | HTTP 401 or 403 — invalid API key or insufficient OAuth scope for this endpoint. |
| `ValidationError` | HTTP 400, 404, or 422 — malformed JSON, unknown patient, or validation failure (message includes response excerpt). |
| `ServerError` | HTTP 409 (e.g. conflicting external identifier) or repeated 5xx after retries; includes status\_code when applicable. |
| `RateLimitError` | HTTP 429 — rate limited; check retry\_after (seconds). |
| `NetworkError` | Connection timeout, DNS failure, or read error after retries. |
```python Python theme={null}
import olira
from olira import ExternalIdentifierMatcher
olira.init(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
# system + value — exactly one identifier
one = ExternalIdentifierMatcher(system="my-crm", value="CRM-4471")
# system only — every identifier for that system
# (system="epic" unlinks every connected Epic instance)
all_for_system = ExternalIdentifierMatcher(system="epic")
# integration_id only — every identifier owned by one instance (one hospital)
one_hospital = ExternalIdentifierMatcher(integration_id="66f0a1...")
# system + integration_id — that system on that instance only
epic_at_hospital = ExternalIdentifierMatcher(system="epic", integration_id="66f0a1...")
result = olira.remove_patient_external_identifiers(
patient_id="8a4fde23-0f1b-4c2a-9d7e-b36c1a5f0e82",
identifiers=[one],
)
print(result.removed, result.skipped)
```
```csharp C# theme={null}
using Olira;
OliraModule.Init(apiKey: "YOUR_API_KEY");
// System + Value — exactly one identifier
var one = new ExternalIdentifierMatcher { System = "my-crm", Value = "CRM-4471" };
// System only — every identifier for that system
// (System = "epic" unlinks every connected Epic instance)
var allForSystem = new ExternalIdentifierMatcher { System = "epic" };
// IntegrationId only — every identifier owned by one instance (one hospital)
var oneHospital = new ExternalIdentifierMatcher { IntegrationId = "66f0a1..." };
// System + IntegrationId — that system on that instance only
var epicAtHospital = new ExternalIdentifierMatcher { System = "epic", IntegrationId = "66f0a1..." };
var result = OliraModule.RemovePatientExternalIdentifiers(
patientId: "8a4fde23-0f1b-4c2a-9d7e-b36c1a5f0e82",
identifiers: [one]);
Console.WriteLine($"{result.Removed} {result.Skipped}");
```
```http HTTP theme={null}
DELETE /v1/patients/8a4fde23-0f1b-4c2a-9d7e-b36c1a5f0e82/external-identifiers
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json
{
"identifiers": [{ "system": "my-crm", "value": "CRM-4471" }]
}
```
```python 200 theme={null}
ExternalIdentifierMutationResult(
patient_id="8a4fde23-0f1b-4c2a-9d7e-b36c1a5f0e82",
added=0,
removed=1,
skipped=0,
external_identifiers=[],
)
```
```json 401 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 401,
"error_type": "authentication_error",
"message": "Could not validate credentials",
"details": [
{
"type": "authentication_error",
"message": "Could not validate credentials"
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```
```json 403 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 403,
"error_type": "authorization_error",
"message": "Insufficient OAuth scope for this endpoint",
"details": [
{
"type": "authorization_error",
"message": "Insufficient OAuth scope for this endpoint"
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```
```json 404 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 404,
"error_type": "not_found_error",
"message": "Patient not found",
"details": [
{
"type": "not_found_error",
"message": "Patient not found"
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```
```json 422 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 422,
"error_type": "validation_error",
"message": "Request validation failed (1 error)",
"details": [
{
"type": "missing",
"message": "Field required",
"field": "patient_id",
"location": ["body", "patient_id"],
"input_value": null
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```
```json 429 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 429,
"error_type": "server_error",
"message": "Rate limit exceeded",
"details": [
{
"type": "rate_limit",
"message": "Too many requests; retry after backoff"
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```
```json 500 theme={null}
{
"error": true,
"status_code": 500,
"error_type": "internal_server_error",
"message": "An internal server error occurred",
"details": [
{
"type": "internal_server_error",
"message": "An unexpected error occurred while processing your request"
}
],
"timestamp": "2026-05-06T12:00:00+00:00"
}
```