Implementations of Ontology/Terminologies and their Terminological Standards

Abstract

National and international standards have been developed over the last 25 years that serve to guide our generation and use of healthcare terminologies. These have been hard fought and are the result of many individuals’ dedication and effort. We benefit through the use of these industry-wide agreements so that we can have consistency in today’s terminology efforts. That said, current terminology efforts do not always implement best practice as we know it. This is in part because initial terminology development and dissemination is harder using formal terminologies. There is a shortage of competent terminological workers. Those who learn and can apply these principles of terminological best practice will be well prepared to assist the clinical enterprise toward safer and higher quality healthcare at a lower cost.