title: SNOMED CT: utility for a general medical evaluation template.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The U.S. government has licensed SNOMED CT to permit broad-based evaluation and use of the terminology. We evaluated the ability of SNOMED CT to represent terms used for interface objects (e.g., labels and captions) and concepts used for data and branching logic in a general medical evaluation template in use within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The general medical evaluation form definition, report definition, and script files were parsed and 1573 expressions were mapped into SNOMED CT. Compositional expressions required to represent 1171 concepts. Double independent reviews were conducted. Exact concept level matches were used to evaluate reference coverage. Exact term level matches were required for interface terms. Semantics were analyzed for a randomly selected subset of 20 terms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity of SNOMED CT as a reference terminology was 63.8% , ranging from 29.3% for history items to 92.4% for exam items. SNOMED CT's sensitivity as an "interface terminology" was 55.0%. 80% of the necessary linking semantics for the subset were present. Subgroup statistics are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNOMED CT is promising as a terminology for knowledge representation underlying a large general medical evaluation. Its performed less well as an interface terminology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Elkin
authors.forename: Brent A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Dietlind
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wahner-Roedler
authors.forename: Casey S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Husser
authors.forename: Zelalem
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Temesgen
authors.forename: Shawn P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Hardenbrook
authors.forename: Elliot M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Fielstein
authors.forename: S Trent
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Rosenbloom
mesh_terms: D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D039061:Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine; D014481:United States; D014584:User-Computer Interface