Method and System for Concept-Based Terminology Management

Abstract

A method for implementing an interface terminology is described, the interface terminology comprising concepts and descriptions, a description being an alternative way to express a concept. The interface terminology also may include a plurality of domains, wherein each concept is unique within a domain. The method may include the steps of: storing a plurality of concepts in a database; storing a plurality of descriptions in a database; linking each description to a respective concept; storing an external code set in a database, the external code set comprising a plurality of external codes; and mapping an external code to a concept. The steps may occur via database table mapping. The method also may include deploying a front-end file, the front-end file comprises a link between the descriptions and the external code set.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for concept-based medical terminology management, comprising:
 receiving from a user a search request comprising a description within a medical ontology;   identifying, using a computer, one or more concepts within the ontology that map to the description;   prompting the user to provide additional information including at least one of: a clinical modifier, a non-clinical modifier, a laterality, and a status modifier;   determining, using a computer, whether any of the identified one or more concepts also map to the provided additional information; and   identifying one or more codes in a medical code set that correspond to the determined concepts.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical code set is one of an administrative terminology, a reference terminology, and a clinical terminology. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying step comprises:
 identifying one or more codes of an interface terminology that correspond to the determined concepts; and   identifying one or more codes of the medical code set that correspond to the identified interface terminology codes.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a description is an alternative way to express a concept. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a description is a synonym, a vernacular term, a common term, an abbreviation, an acronym, an eponym, a misspelling, or a patient-friendly term of a concept. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of concepts are stored in a database, a plurality of descriptions are stored in a database, and a plurality of external codes from one or more code sets are stored in a database, the method further comprising, prior to any of the other steps:
 linking each description to a respective concept; and   mapping each concept to at least one external code.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of concepts are stored in a database, a plurality of descriptions are stored in a database, and a plurality of external codes from one or more code sets are stored in a database, the method further comprising, prior to any of the other steps:
 creating relationships between concepts.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 populating, using a computer, predetermined fields in a patient's electronic health record in response to the determined concepts or the identified codes.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a summary of each identified code corresponding to the determined concepts, the summary including one or more of: the source of the code, a map type, a number corresponding to the code, and a description of the code.   
     
     
         10 . A method for concept-based medical terminology management, comprising:
 receiving from a user a search request comprising a description within a medical ontology;   identifying, using a computer, one or more concepts within the ontology that map to the description;   prompting the user to provide additional information including at least one of: a clinical modifier, a non-clinical modifier, a laterality, and a status modifier;   determining, using a computer, whether any of the identified one or more concepts also map to the provided additional information;   presenting the identified one or more concepts to the user;   receiving a user selection of a concept from among the presented one or more concepts; and   identifying one or more codes in a medical code set that correspond to the user selected concept.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of concepts are stored in a database, a plurality of descriptions are stored in a database, and a plurality of external codes from one or more code sets are stored in a database, the method further comprising, prior to any of the other steps:
 linking each description to a respective concept; and   mapping each concept to at least one external code.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a plurality of concepts are stored in a database, a plurality of descriptions are stored in a database, and a plurality of external codes from one or more code sets are stored in a database, the method further comprising, prior to any of the other steps:
 creating relationships between concepts.   
     
     
         13 . A system for concept-based medical terminology management, comprising:
 one or more computers configured to:   receive a user search request comprising a description within a medical ontology;   identify one or more concepts within the ontology that map to the description;   prompt the user to provide additional information including at least one of: a clinical modifier, a non-clinical modifier, a laterality, and a status modifier;   determine whether any of the identified one or more concepts also map to the provided additional information; and   identify one or more codes in a medical code set that correspond to the determined concepts.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the system is separate from and operates as an external service to an electronic medical record. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the system interfaces with the electronic medical record to populate predetermined fields in the electronic medical record in response to the determined concepts or the identified codes. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a database having a table storing a plurality of concepts, a table storing a plurality of descriptions, and a table storing a plurality of external codes from one or more code sets;   wherein the database further stores mappings between two or more of the concepts, descriptions, and external codes.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the medical code set is one of an administrative terminology, a reference terminology, and a clinical terminology. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers is configured to:
 identify one or more codes of an interface terminology that correspond to the determined concepts; and   identify one or more codes of the medical code set that correspond to the identified interface terminology codes.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein a description is a synonym, a vernacular term, a common term, an abbreviation, an acronym, an eponym, a misspelling, or a patient-friendly term of a concept. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers is configured to:
 generate a search pane that receives user searches,   present search results, and   refresh a display of medical codes in response to a user selection from among the search results.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more concepts belong to a plurality of domains, the system further configured to accept a user input of a domain selection. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , the one or more computers configured to:
 provide a summary of each identified code corresponding to the determined concepts, the summary including one or more of: the source of the code, a map type, a number corresponding to the code, and a description of the code.