How is SNOMED developed and maintained?

Modified on Tue, 4 Nov, 2014 at 1:52 PM

SNOMED CT is continuously updated to meet the needs of users around the world. Revisions to the international version of SNOMED CT are released twice a year. Each release includes the main terminology components (concepts, descriptions, and relationships), together with derivatives that support the implementation and use of SNOMED CT. These derivatives include subsets, languages and dialect preferences and maps to other classifications and coding schemes. In addition, an extensive set of guidance documentation is released for online access or download.

Each SNOMED CT update includes additional concepts that enhance scope coverage, additional synonyms to align with terms used in clinical practice and enhancements to defining relationships which refine the quality of meaning-based retrieval. Prior to release, SNOMED CT content undergoes a quality assurance process.