3,000 new and edited concepts ensure improved data standardization
The new LOINC® from Regenstrief Institute’s semiannual content update introduces significant advancements across laboratory, clinical and survey domains, aligning with current healthcare trends and addressing the ever-evolving needs of stakeholders.
The new release concepts standardize information models, address health-related social needs and provide enhancements to genetic testing, allergy diagnostics and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved testing standards.
The release of LOINC 2.79 includes more than 3,000 new and edited concepts. These concepts and enhancements ensure improved data standardization, interoperability and regulatory compliance, supporting the broader goals of healthcare modernization and quality improvement.
“The work involved to create and curate all of these updates reinforces our commitment to promoting the adoption of clinical data standards that enable efficient semantic interoperability and ensuring that clinicians get all of the information they need at the right time and place,” said Marjorie Rallins, DPM, M.S., the executive director of Health Data Standards (HDS) at Regenstrief Institute, which oversees LOINC.
LOINC, short for Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, is a global standard for health terminology. Created and maintained at Regenstrief, LOINC enables the identification, exchange and collection of data across health systems and is used around the world.
Specific projects of release 2.79 include:
- Expanded laboratory content – more than 250 new LOINC concepts standardize information models across clinical, financial and supply chain domains, facilitating seamless integration with Health Level Seven International®v2 (HL7), HL7®, Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources® (FHIR), Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) and other health data standards. Enhancements include updates to genetic testing, allergy diagnostics, drug/toxicology screening and hematology concepts, along with new FDA-approved testing standards.
- Addressing health-related social needs – concepts related to assessing intimate partner violence, transportation insecurity, social connection and stress, as well as a variety of updates related to health-related social needs in a number of other social risk areas.
- Additional updates support pregnancy and breastfeeding care, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance, and quality assurance measures from National Committee for Quality Assurance.
- Survey and nursing enhancements – newborn screening panels and nursing assessments for pain and fall risk were developed, which improve structured documentation in post-acute and inpatient settings.
- LOINC Ontology: A LOINC and SNOMED CT Interoperability Solution – more than 2,000 concepts were updated from LOINC’s collaboration with SNOMED International. These enhancements are primarily structural refinements to enhance the use of LOINC and SNOMED together.
All new and enhanced LOINC release concepts are accessible from the LOINC website. LOINC release concepts are published in 20 language dialects, including English.
For any inquiries about the LOINC 2.79 release and to have discussions with others in the LOINC community, post the topic, question or concern in the LOINC Community Forum.
LOINC is a code system available to users at no cost. Its long-term funding is supported by U.S. federal agencies and other organizations. HDS at Regenstrief Institute releases updates to LOINC twice per year, in February and August.
About LOINC® from Regenstrief Institute
LOINC® was created in 1994 at Regenstrief Institute to facilitate interoperability in healthcare and is administered by Regenstrief Institute Health Data Standards. There was a growing trend to send clinical data electronically between healthcare entities, a practice that has now become ubiquitous. Today, it contains more than 104,000 concepts for everything from an albumin level to a zygomatic arch X-ray report. For each concept, LOINC contains many other rich details, such as synonyms, units of measure and carefully crafted descriptions.
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