Healthcare Vocabularies: ICD-10 and SNOMED CT Desiderata Comparison

This report provides a comparative analysis of ICD-10 and SNOMED CT based on the desiderata for controlled medical vocabularies as outlined by J. Camino. It explains the meaning of 'desiderata' in the context of controlled medical vocabularies, focusing on aspects like content, rejection of nonsemantic identifiers, formal definitions, polyhierarchy, concept orientation, and context representation. The comparison highlights the differences in how ICD-10, designed for statistical data collection, and SNOMED CT, intended for clinical documentation and semantic interoperability, address these desiderata. The report details how SNOMED CT offers more comprehensive and unambiguous concept representation with hierarchical relationships and formal definitions, while ICD-10 is simpler and geared towards statistical analysis, with limitations in expressiveness and upgradeability. The analysis emphasizes the importance of these considerations for effective use in healthcare information systems.

Running head: DESIDERATA FOR CONTROLLED MEDICAL VOCABULARY
DESIDERATA FOR CONTROLLED MEDICAL VOCABULARY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1
DESIDERATA FOR CONTROLLED MEDICAL VOCABULARY
QUESTION
Clinical Vocabularies desiderata comparison with respect to ICD-10 and SNOMED CT
Using the following desiderata explained by J.Camino in his paper “Desiderata for controlled medical
vocabularies in 12 century’’.
Explain what desiderata means in context of controlled medical vocabularies and
Compare and contrast how it applies to ICD 10 AND SNOMED CT
Please write answer in table below
Desiderata Explain-what is it Compare and contrast this
desiderata with respect to ICD
10 and SNOMED CT
CONTENT,CONTENT,CONTENT
REJECT "NOT ELSEWHERE
CLASSIFIED"
NONSEMANTIC CONCEPT
IDENTIFIER
In the context of content, it is
suggested that overstress
should not be projected on
vocabulary content. In order to
design a desiderata all atoms
of a terminology can be
enumerated in order to
combine the terms into coded
terms. For this a formal
method is needed which is
expand the content but in a
systematic manner. This
concept led to the formulation
of classification systems like
ICD 10.
The vocabularies do not have
domain completeness
therefore often it is used to
encode information that is not
identified by other existing
terms. Therefore there is no
formal definition for the terms.
For this reason an
international system should
exist which provided formal
definitions.
The concepts require unique
identifiers. If a concept have
several names, then only one
can be preferred and rest can
SNOMED-CT is a source of
terminology that has been
optimized for proper computer
storage and retrieving the
health information.
International Classification of
Diseases (ICD) is published by
WHO for collecting and
analysing the data from
around the world to frame it
systematically. ICD 10 is the
1o0th revised version of this
system.
SNOMED-CT IS An
international clinical
terminology that is more
appropriate for doing clinical
documentations compared to
ICD 10. On the other hand ICT
10 is standard for classification
that is followed while assigning
codes for statistics,
epidemiology, audit and
others.
SNOMED CT is a list of unique
health terminologies which
helps the clinicians to imply
natural medical vocabulary
which is not applicable in case
of ICD 10 since it is a set of

2
DESIDERATA FOR CONTROLLED MEDICAL VOCABULARY
FORMAL DEFINITIONS
POLYHIERARCHY
CONCEPT ORIENTATION
BEYOND MEDICAL CONCEPTS:
REPRESENTING CONTEXT
be used as synonyms.
Desiderata is required mostly
because there is a desire for
formal definitions. Like in the
concept Pneumococcal
Pneumonia, it can be linked by
mapping to the concept of
Streptococcus pneumonia,
hence establishing a
hierarchical relationship.
The desiderata should have
hierarchical arrangements.
Similar concepts should be
grouped which convey the
same message.
This means that the terms
must reflect only one meaning
at a time. Distinction should be
made between ambiguous and
unambiguous terms. For
example "Myocardial
Infarction" is ambiguous
because it could mean "Right
or left ventricular Infarction"
and so on. However if we use
unambiguous terms it will
comprehend the term in a
specific way.
An explicit system is required
for comprehension of the
concept of the terms.
classifications.
Using SNOMED CT the health
data from the electronic health
record (EHR) can be converted
into information which is
meaningful. It can be used to
link terms to classifications like
ICD 10 by mapping.
SNOMED-CT forms hierarchical
relationships unlike ICD 10
However ICD is simple,
ambiguous and is useful for
statistical studies unlike
SNOMED-CT which is a bit
more complex and concept
based which covers almost all
the aspects of medical system
and is unambiguous.
ICD has long intervals between
releases and is difficult to
upgrade whereas SMOMED-CT
has short intervals which is
easier to upgrade.
For ICD complete and final
diagnosis is required but
SMOMED-CT requires any type
of diagnosis.
For comprehending ICD code
specific training is required
unlike in the case of SNOMED-
CT.
In the case of ICD 10 it is
grouped into limited
categories whereas SNOMED
CT is explicit and more
comprehensive.