User-directed coordination in SNOMED CT.
The possibility of post-coordination of SNOMED CT concepts, especially by clinical users, is both an asset and a challenge for SNOMED CT implementation. To get insight in the applicability of post-coordination, we analyzed scenarios for user-directed coordination that are described in the documentation of SNOMED CT. The analyses were based on experiences from previous and ongoing research and implementation work, including national mapping projects, and investigations on collection of data for multiple uses. These scenarios show various usability and representation problems: high number of relationships for refinement and qualification, improper options for refinement, incorrect formal definitions, and lack of support for applying editorial rules. Improved user-directed coordination in SNOMED CT in real practice requires advanced sanctioning, increased consistency of definitions of concepts in SNOMED CT, and real-time analysis of the post-coordinate expression.
Department of Medical Informatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ronald
R
Cornet
Mikael
M
Nyström
Daniel
D
Karlsson
D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009323:Natural Language Processing; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D012660:Semantics; D039061:Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014175:Translating