DateSeptember 30, 2023
InfoRMSSR-422
AccessTerminology Gateway
Code SystemLOINC
Code System Version2.75
Release TypeMaintenance

The pan-Canadian LOINC Observation Code Database (pCLOCD) standard is published as an Excel file that contains ten tabs. The four tabs that were edited in this release include Infoway Terms of Use, LOINC® Copyright, Nomenclature and the Change Log. This release will contain the August 2023 update (LOINC version 2.75) from the Regenstrief Institute Inc. and any interim changes from the previously published release, which are described below. 

We continue to expand the Canadian French translation of LOINC terms with each release and this includes translating new terms and updating existing revised terms. Thank you to the Translation working group for their ongoing support and dedication to this valuable work.

It is helpful to review the general pCLOCD release information in tandem with each pCLOCD release notes.

     

1. There are a total of 39,783 records this release, up from 38,759 in the previously released version. This version will incorporate all of the applicable LOINC changes in version 2.75 as published by Regenstrief (in August 2023).

2.  38,906 records have been translated to French, up from 37,881 in the last version. Terms that are marked ‘Review Draft’ should be reviewed before they are used as the translation has not been previously published. Terms that are marked as ‘Complete’ have been previously published. 

3. 3599 records were modified in English for this release and are marked as R05.19.00_2.75

a. 2684 records are of the change type Major for English changes.

b. 1 record had a change type Minor for English changes.

c.  3 corrections were made to Viewer Names.

d. 911 records were Deprecated.

4. 1018 new records were added for the English version.

5.  3615 records were modified in French for this release and are marked as R05.19.00_2.75

a. 2697 records are of the change type Major for the French translation.

c. 6 records are of the change type Minor for the French translation.

c. 1 correction was made to Viewer Names

d. 911 records were Deprecated.

6.  1018 new records were added for the French version.

7. Both languages contain a number of codes that only have changes in the other language; those are identified as ‘No Change’.

Of specific interest in this release, current implementers may want to review these changes:

New Content highlights:

New LOINC codes are added in pCLOCD solely on stakeholder requests. Infoway only adds LOINC content identified by jurisdictions as being used or as required, in this way we support pCLOCD being representative of usage and requirements in Canada. For your convenience, a list of all newly published LOINC 2.75 codes is available for download. If your jurisdiction requires existing LOINC codes added to pCLOCD, please submit your request via InfoRMS.  

LOINC's collaboration with SNOMED International to enhance the machine readability of LOINC resulted in updates that impacted the following in pCLOCD:

  • 911 codes were deprecated and recreated in the Allergy class to remove ambiguity and explicitly reflect Component "Antibody.IgE" as the component and "RAST" as the Method attribute "RAST" in Radioallergosorbent test concepts. LOINC also has a new Scale attribute "SemiQn" for Radioallergosorbent test concepts.
  • The new codes to replace the deprecated codes have been added to pCLOCD. A list of these codes is available. 

New LOINC codes added to pCLOCD in this release includes

  • 911 new LOINC Codes in the Allergy class with the new RAST method attribute to replace the deprecated codes that included the RAST method in the Component name. A list of these new codes is available for download. 
  • 105 existing LOINC Codes added to pCLOCD, requested by Canadian Implementers 

Term edits highlights:

  • 2658 codes updated to a new Scale attribute "SemiQn" that LOINC introduced primarily for Radioallergosorbent test concepts, this new scale provides for a more explicit representation of a non-continuous measurement of numeric values. 
  • 19 codes had “System” improved from “Respiratory” to a better representation “Respiratory System Specimen” for machine readability and semantic interoperability.

Questions and feedback welcome, contact us