title: Learning from the crowd while mapping to LOINC.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the perspectives of Regenstrief LOINC Mapping Assistant (RELMA) users before and after the deployment of Community Mapping features, characterize the usage of these new features, and analyze the quality of mappings submitted to the community mapping repository.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) community members' perceptions about new "wisdom of the crowd" information and how they used the new RELMA features. We conducted a pre-launch survey to capture users' perceptions of the proposed functionality of these new features; monitored how the new features and data available via those features were accessed; conducted a follow-up survey about the use of RELMA with the Community Mapping features; and analyzed community mappings using automated methods to detect potential errors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite general satisfaction with RELMA, nearly 80% of 155 respondents to our pre-launch survey indicated that having information on how often other users had mapped to a particular LOINC term would be helpful. During the study period, 200 participants logged into the RELMA Community Mapping features an average of 610 times per month and viewed the mapping detail pages a total of 6686 times. Fifty respondents (25%) completed our post-launch survey, and those who accessed the Community Mapping features unanimously indicated that they were useful. Overall, 95.3% of the submitted mappings passed our automated validation checks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When information about other institutions' mappings was made available, study participants who accessed it agreed that it was useful and informed their mapping choices. Our findings suggest that a crowd-sourced repository of mappings is valuable to users who are mapping local terms to LOINC terms.
authors.affiliation: Associate Research Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN Research Scientist, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Vreeman
authors.affiliation: Senior Software Engineer, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hook
authors.affiliation: Research Scientist, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA Assistant Professor, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI Research Scientist, Center for Health Information and Communication, Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Health Services Research and Development Service.
authors.forename: Brian E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Dixon
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D039703:Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized
keywords: Clinical laboratory information systems; LOINC; controlled; medical record systems; vocabulary