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Terminology Service

iEHR.ai Terminology Service enable healthcare applications to seamlessly interact with standardized medical terminologies. By eliminating the need for deep expertise in code systems, value sets, and concept maps, this service streamlines data interoperability. Expanding FHIR Terminology Services requires integrating advanced operations, improving system performance, and enhancing support for diverse healthcare standards.

iEHR Terminology Service

Core Components of Terminology Service​

1. Code Systems - Defines structured sets of codes used to represent medical concepts, such as SNOMED CT.

2. Value Sets - Uniquely identifiable collections of codes from one or multiple code systems, designed for specific applications.

3. Concept Maps - Facilitate cross-system translations, ensuring data alignment and consistency across different medical terminologies.

Benefits of Using Coded Values in FHIR®​

  1. Interoperability: Standardized codes facilitate seamless data exchange between disparate systems.

  2. Consistency: Eliminates ambiguity in how healthcare data is represented and interpreted.

  3. Scalability: Supports the integration of additional systems and data sources over time.

  4. Efficiency: Simplifies data analysis and processing through structured representation.

Key Aspects of Expanding Terminology Services​

  • Support for Additional Code Systems – Ensuring compatibility with a wide range of medical terminologies.
  • Enhanced ValueSet Expansion – Implementing $expand operations to retrieve all codes within a value set.
  • Improved Code Validation – Enabling $validate-code functions to verify the validity of codes within a system.
  • Concept Mapping Integration – Using $translate operations to establish relationships between different terminologies.
  • Performance Optimization – Implementing caching mechanisms and indexing for efficient lookups.
  • Security Reinforcement – Enforcing authentication and authorization controls to safeguard terminology data.

iEHR.ai Terminology Service incorporates SNOMED CT, ICD, LOINC, and HPRA medications, ensuring comprehensive interoperability and semantic consistency within healthcare systems. The terminology module leverages code systems, value sets, and concept maps to establish a unified framework for medical coding.

Examples of International Code Systems:​

  • LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes)

    • Used for lab tests, measurements, survey answers, and other observable data.
    • Ensures uniform representation of clinical observations across systems.

  • ICD (International Classification of Diseases)

    • Encodes medical conditions and diagnoses.
    • Widely used for epidemiology, health management, and billing.

  • SNOMED CT (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms)

    • Provides comprehensive coverage of clinical terms.
    • Supports detailed and precise representation of healthcare data.

Locally-Defined Code Systems:​

While many code systems are created by international organizations, FHIR® also allows for the use of locally-defined systems. These systems can address unique requirements or scenarios within specific organizations or regions.

  • HPRA
    • Represents drugs and clinical drug delivery systems.
    • Facilitates communication between pharmacy systems and healthcare providers.

Example of Terminology Integration in Healthcare​

Consider a patient undergoing a "serum glucose test" (LOINC code). The result may be classified using SNOMED CT, such as "glucose concentration in blood." These standardized codes are embedded within a FHIR resource, ensuring interoperability and consistent representation of medical data across healthcare platforms.

iEHR.ai Terminology Services enhance data accuracy, clinical decision support, and seamless interoperability within healthcare systems.