Terminology Infrastructure Work Group

Mission

Objective

To identify, organize and maintain coded vocabulary terms used in HL7 information structures, provide clear documented guidelines on the principles of vocabulary content and structure to support the retention of meaning over time, and to maintain the HL7 Vocabulary Model and guidance of the use of Vocabulary in HL7 Standards.

VOC on Confluence!
confluence.hl7.org/display/VOC

 

Charter

Goal

Provide an organization and repository for maintaining a coded vocabulary that, when used in conjunction with HL7 and related standards, will enable the exchange of clinical data and information so that sending and receiving systems have a shared, well defined, and unambiguous knowledge of the meaning of the data transferred.  The purpose of the exchange of clinical data includes, but is not limited to: provision of clinical care, support of clinical and administrative research, execution of automated transaction oriented decision logic (medical logic modules), support of outcomes research, support of clinical trials, and to support data reporting to government and other authorized third parties.

To achieve this goal, we will work cooperatively with other groups that have an interest in coded vocabularies used in clinical computing. Some of the groups that we will seek to work closely with include: standards development organizations, creators and maintainers of vocabularies, government agencies and regulatory bodies, clinical professional specialty groups, other HL7 Work Groups constructing models including vocabulary for standardization, vocabulary content providers, and vocabulary tool vendors.

Work Products and Contributions to HL7 Processes

This includes:

• Maintain OID Registry with approval for new OID requests
• Maintain the V3 Vocab repository with the HL7 Harmonization processes, and work to improve those processes over time
• Maintain table 0396 (V2 content for registered coding systems) including new requests, changes to existing entries, publishing on HL7 website
• Document HL7 vocabulary model and maintain the documentation guidelines on the principles of vocabulary message content and structure over time
• Maintain the vocabulary facilitator structure to provide assistance and guidance to the larger HL7 community
• Maintain the Vocabulary Sections of HL7 Core Principles of Version 3 Models normative standard
• Work with Vocabulary organizations that HL7 has important liaison relationships with, such as LOINC and IHTSDO
• Educate stakeholders via tutorials and improved documentation

2019 Work Group Health All-Star Award Winner

This WG earned a WG Healthiest Star rating in each of the three trimesters measured in 2019.

2020 May Work Group Health Gold Star Award Winner

This Work Group earned a WG Healthiest Star rating in May 2020.

2020 Work Group Health All-Star Award Winner

This WG earned a WG Healthiest Star rating in each of the three trimesters measured in 2020.

2021 May Work Group Health Gold Star Award Winner

This Work Group earned a WG Healthiest Star rating in May 2021.

Date of Last Revision

October 4, 2012