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Clinical data standards

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clinical data standards are used to store and communicate information related to healthcare so that its meaning is unambiguous. They are used in clinical practice, in activity analysis and finding, and in research and development.

There are many existing and proposed standards and many bodies working in this field.

In addition to standards specific to the clinical domain health informatics relies on other standards that are lower in the communications stack,[1][circular reference] and on many standards from metrology.

Clinical data standards and interoperability

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Interoperability between disparate clinical information systems requires common data standards or mapping of every transaction.

However common data standards alone will not provide interoperability, and the other requirements are identified in "How Standards will Support Interoperability" from the Faculty of Clinical Informatics[2] and "Interoperability is more than technology: The role of culture and leadership in joined-up care" from the King's Fund[3]

Barriers to development and use

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Barriers to the widespread adoption of effective data standards include:

  • inconsistency in and poor understanding of the concepts and language used in clinical practice, for example compared to those in chemistry or accounting
  • rival systems of standards
  • the cost of implementation or change to better standards
  • avoidance of commercial competition.

Existing and proposed clinical data standards

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Previous standards, projects and bodies

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Bodies working in the field

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References

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  1. ^ "Internet protocol suite". Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  2. ^ "How Standards Will Support Interoperability". Faculty of Clinical Informatics. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Interoperability is more than technology: The role of culture and leadership in joined-up care". The King's Fund. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  4. ^ "About". smartplatforms.org. Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Find standards to record, handle and exchange data in England".