Direct comparison of MEDCIN and SNOMED CT for representation of a general medical evaluation template.
BACKGROUND
Two candidate terminologies to support entry of general medical data are SNOMED CT and MEDCIN. We compare the ability of SNOMED CT and MEDCIN to represent concepts and interface terms from a VA general medical examination template.


METHODS
We parsed the VA general medical evaluation template and mapped the resulting expressions into SNOMED CT and MEDCIN. Internists conducted double independent reviews on 864 expressions. Exact concept level matches were used to evaluate reference coverage. Exact term level matches were required for interface terms.


RESULTS
Sensitivity of SNOMED CT as a reference terminology was 83% vs. 25% for MEDCIN (p<0.001). The sensitivity of SNOMED CT as an interface terminology was 53% vs. 7% for MEDCIN (P< 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The content coverage of SNOMED CT as a reference terminology and as an interface terminology outperformed MEDCIN. We did not evaluate other aspects of interface terminologies such as richness of clinical linkages.
Brown
Steven H
SH
Rosenbloom
S Trent
ST
Bauer
Brent A
BA
Wahner-Roedler
Dietlind
D
Froehling
David A
DA
Bailey
Kent R
KR
Lincoln
Michael J
MJ
Montella
Diane
D
Fielstein
Elliot M
EM
Elkin
Peter L
PL
D004194:Disease / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D010808:Physical Examination; D039061:Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D018875:Vocabulary, Controlled