Standardising pathology test results

At present pathology messaging in the UK is standardised only in primary care. The lack of standards outside of primary care means a lot of translations are used with the associated risks and implications for monitoring. Units of measure in use are not standardised for all tests and are not always machine readable limiting the ability of safely exchanging messages between clinical systems. 

The NHSX and NHS Digital programme has selected strategic standards to use to address the situation.

PRSB has been commissioned to showcase the feasibility of the strategic standards of SNOMED CT for defining the UTL, UCUM for units of measure, and FHIR for messaging the test requests and results using the UTL and UCUM units of measure.

The first 3-month phase includes developing the artefacts to showcase or demonstrate the feasibility for each strategic standard. The second 3-month phase includes stakeholder engagement to gather feedback on the feasibility of implementation of the strategic standards and provide evidence for the Data Co-Ordination Board (DCB) for consideration for the potential replacement of ISB 1557 EDIFACT Pathology Messaging with pathology standards based on the three strategic standards.

Workshops to gather views of the feasibility of implementing a new standards-based pathology test messaging system:

Bookings

Please contact info@theprsb.org to RSVP.