Postcoordination of LOINC Codes in SNOMED CT

Abstract

The objectives of this paper are to analyze the terminologies SNOMED CT and Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) and to provide a guideline for the translation of LOINC concepts to SNOMED CT. Verified research data sets were used for this study, so this experiment is replicable with other research data. 50 LOINC concepts of frequently performed laboratory services were translated to SNOMED CT. Information would be lost with pre-coordinated mapping but the compositional grammar of SNOMED CT allows for the linking of individual concepts into complicated postcoordinated expressions including all embedded information in LOINC concepts. All information can thus be transferred smoothly to SNOMED CT.

Keywords: LOINC; Mapping; SNOMED CT; Semantic interoperability.