Standards, terminologies and classifications are first and foremost the freedom to use and exchange methods and content with others, and thus help to ensure that one can work together, both internally in the organization and externally.
Standards ensure independence. Instead of having to define everything in detail and without having a common reference, you only have to make sure that the same standards are the basis. You can buy paper from a supplier and envelopes from another, common standards ensure they fit together.
Healthcare standards
In the health sector, many data are exchanged on diseases, treatment pathways and patients, and when it can be done effectively and safely, it is because everyone should comply with the same standards. For example, when one clinic can act on the blood tests another clinic has done, it is because the blood samples are standardized – e.g. by virtue of the NPU terminology (UIIPAC) or the Loinc classification.
In general, the common classifications and terminologies are maintained on a national or international level. When we are able to exchange patient information across hospitals and clinics, it is based on common standards. As standards evolve over time national certification bodies ensure, that the systems comply with new versions of standards. This applies, for example, to referrals, discharge notes and laboratory requisitions and answers.
In addition, national standards making it possible to transfer entire patient records from one system to another may exist – this enables patients to switch physicians, and this enables a clinic to change systems without significant loss of data.
In Denmark, and based on ongoing certifications, the MedCom standardization body continuously maintains and publishes the systems appliance with standards, for further information look here.
In MyClinic, we are very committed to standards and make a virtue of complying with them, both nationally and internationally. For areas that have several parallel standards, MyClinic usually offers a “mapping” that can translate from one standard to another (e.g. for diagnostic codes, ICD10, ICPC and SNOMED CT).
MyClinic supports:
- Diagnoses:
- ICD10
- ICPC
- SNOMED CT
- Medicine:
- ATC
- Laboratory tests:
- NPU (/ UIIPAC)
- Loinc
- MCS
- Communication protocols:
- EDIFACT
- XML
- HL7 CDA
- Message types:
- Referrals (send / receive)
- Discharge summaries (send / receive)
- Insurance Billing (send)
- Invoices, UBL (send / receive)
- Laboratory requisitions and answers
- E-medication / e-prescription, FMK (send / receive)
- OpenEHR Archetypes
- EHR exchange, FNUX (send / receive)
