Why did you change your name from IHTSDO to SNOMED International?

As of December 31st, 2016,  IHTSDO adopted the trading name of SNOMED International and moved its headquarters to London.

Key points:

• IHTSDO has transferred its business, including the intellectual property rights in SNOMED CT, to a newly-incorporated company based in England. With effect from 31 December 2016, the new company will assume responsibility for maintaining SNOMED CT.
• The new company will trade under the name of SNOMED International (Company Registration Number 9915820).
• IHTSDO and SNOMED International are the same entity. International Health Terminology Standards Organisation (IHTSDO) is the legal name of the new English company, while SNOMED International is its trading name.

Key supporting messages:

• Changing the trading name to SNOMED International reflects the organization’s focus on its global product, SNOMED CT, and its commitment to determining international healthcare terminology standards and engaging with the clinical and vendor communities to incorporate SNOMED CT into healthcare information systems across the world.
• SNOMED CT is the most comprehensive and precise common global language for health terms in the world. It has been developed collaboratively to ensure it meets the diverse needs and expectations of the worldwide medical profession and healthcare community.
• Ensuring the best global standards and systems are adopted means that users can record patient data more accurately and comprehensively and have access to tools and analytics to provide better patient care and health management.
• SNOMED International strives to determine the best global standards and engage with the healthcare community to drive the global exchange of healthcare information for the benefit of patients, clinicians and health policy makers.

Frequently asked questions and answers:

Why did you change the name of IHTSDO, and why now?

• It is ten years since IHTSDO was initially established in 2007 by nine Charter Members; the organization now has twenty-nine Members and over 5,000 individual and organizational Affiliates.
• Changing the trading name to SNOMED International reflects the organization’s focus on its global product, SNOMED CT, and its commitment to determining international healthcare terminology standards and engaging with the clinical and vendor communities to incorporate SNOMED CT into healthcare information systems across the world.

Why did you relocate the organizational headquarters from Copenhagen to London?

• IHTSDO was headquartered in Copenhagen from its inception in 2007. Several years ago an evaluation was conducted to determine if this was the best location going forward. Factors considered included: 1) taxation of income and VAT, 2) ease of access to the location from all countries, 3) operational efficiencies in conducting daily business, 4) impact on staff financially and 5) access and advantages of being in a business hub where resources were both affordable and available.
• Once the evaluation was complete, London was chosen as the best option.

 Is SNOMED International a separate legal entity? What is the role of IHTSDO? 

• International Health Terminology Standards Organisation (IHTSDO) is the legal name of the new English company, while SNOMED International is its trading name. IHTSDO and SNOMED International are the same legal entity.

Will SNOMED International assume legal responsibility for all SNOMED CT operations, membership, governance, events, financial assets and liabilities?

• With effect from 31 December 2016, the new company will assume responsibility for maintaining SNOMED CT.

 Will SNOMED International operate differently to IHTSDO?

• Although IHTSDO has transferred its business from Denmark to England, it expects the management and governance of the organization to remain substantially the same.
• IHTSDO’s adoption of SNOMED International as a trading name will have no effect on the core business of administering and developing SNOMED CT.

How will this change of name affect your current Members?

• Having a new trading name does not change the fact that SNOMED International is a membership organization, whose Members represent countries or other approved territories. Each Member continues to be entitled to be represented by an individual in the General Assembly.

How will this change of name affect users of SNOMED CT?

• Existing Affiliate Licenses will be transferred from the old Danish association to the new English company.
• Users of SNOMED CT will see no change in their day-to-day use of the product.
• The organization remains committed and focused on engaging with the user communities to continually improve and support SNOMED CT.

What are your future plans for the new company and for SNOMED CT?

• Trading as SNOMED International, the organization will continue with its vision and strategic direction that by 2020 clinical terminologies will be used globally, which will result in better health, supported by one language of health.
• The organization will strive to determine the best standards and engage with the healthcare community worldwide to drive the global exchange of healthcare information for the benefit of patients, clinicians and health policy makers.

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