8 FROM THE AAHA LEADERSHIP
view from AAHA F
ew in our profession end their careers without enduring at least one desper- ate search for information that can save a patient or significantly improve
Free standard diagnostic terms make it possible to compile and analyze data to improve patient care.
Diagnostic Terms Review Board
Robert Baker DVM, chair
Heidi A. Burnett DVM, DABVP
G. Noell Moseley DVM, DABVP
a patient’s quality of life. Although the lat- est developments in AAHA’s 7-year effort to map veterinary diagnostic terms to SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine) Clinical Terms will not elimi- nate every such experience, placing the codes on an open architecture platform is an important step in that direction. Currently, veterinary professionals
often use different terms for the same condition, making it difficult to monitor disease incidence or recognize important trends in patient responses to treatment protocols. AAHA Diagnostic Terms are a comprehensive unified medical terminol- ogy system that facilitates the effective exchange of clinical information among practices, referral clinics, researchers, vet- erinary teaching hospitals and others. Placing the codes on an open architec-
ture platform — a system that allows free use under reciprocal open-source licenses — means that forward-looking practice management software companies can begin the process of incorporating the codes in their products today. Although adding AAHA Diagnostic
Terms to existing software may sound easy, the coding process is complex. Software manufacturers need to know a market exists for the revision before they undertake this major initiative, so AAHA member input is critical. Here is how you can help: • If your practice management software program does not include AAHA diagnostic nomenclature: Ask manu- facturers to include AAHA Diagnos- tic Terms codes in the product’s next release. Proprietary diagnostic codes unique to a practice or manufacturer
Diagnostic terms enable evidence-based medicine. Robert Baker, DVM; Heidi A. Burnett, DVM, DABVP; and Gregg Takashima, DVM
hinder information flow. As we move toward evidence-based medicine, hoarding data impedes our collective ability to provide the best patient care.
• If AAHA Diagnostic Terms are included in your practice manage- ment software program: Please use the codes to their full potential — and provide feedback to both AAHA and your software company. Are the codes easy to use? Are some terms missing? Are other terms outdated? If you have questions regarding the
AAHA Diagnostic Terms, visit the Vet- erinary Terminology Service Laboratory (VTSL) Forums. These forums are main- tained and monitored by the VTSL and key AAHA personnel. There are three forums: • General: For public questions about accessibility of the AAHA terminology and other general questions; open to anyone
• Content: For questions and discus- sions about the AAHA terminology
• Technology: For discussions of prob- lems, issues or suggestions in regard to the distribution format(s) of the AAHA terminology To access the forums, go to
vtsl.vetmed.
vt.edu/forums/index.php (registration for a username and password is required). As you know, a few software manufac-
turers added AAHA Diagnostic Terms to their programs some time ago, and sev- eral practices participated in an extensive multiyear beta test. AAHA used beta test feedback to fine-tune the codes and ready the terminology system for open-source. Clearly, the full value of standard-
ized nomenclature will not be realized until more practices use common diag- nostic codes and upload data to a com- mon source. As contributing practitioners gain access to that information, we will advance medicine at a faster pace. n
Trends magazine, November/December 2010
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