PHIN Vocabulary

PHIN Vocabulary Standards is a key component in supporting the development and deployment of standards-based public health information systems. PHIN Vocabulary Services seeks to promote the use of standards-based vocabulary within PHIN systems and foster the use and exchange of consistent information among public health partners. The use of PHIN Vocabulary Standards ensures that vocabularies are aligned with PHIN standards and with appropriate industry and Consolidated Health Informatics Initiative (CHI) vocabulary standards. These standards are supported by the PHIN Vocabulary Access and Distribution System (VADS) for accessing, searching, and distributing standards-based vocabularies used within PHIN to local, state and national PHIN partners. It promotes the use of standards-based vocabulary within PHIN systems to support the exchange of consistent information among Public Health Partners.

PHIN Vocabulary Services strives to enable the consistent and accurate representation of information by encouraging and supporting the use of Vocabulary Standards to promote semantic interoperability among public health systems. Working with Standard Development Organization (SDOs) terminology experts and other subject matter experts, PHIN Services actively participates in the development and identification of vocabularies important to the public health arena. SDOs include Systematized Nomenclature for Medicine (SNOMED), Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC), Health Level 7 (HL7), Consolidated Health Informatics Initiative (CHI), Health Information Technology Initiative (HITSP) and American Health Information Community (AHIC).

PHIN Vocabulary Access and Distribution System (PHIN VADS)

PHIN VADS is a web-based enterprise vocabulary system for accessing, searching, and distributing vocabularies used within the PHIN. To learn more and access the PHIN VADS system, visit the PHIN VADS Resource page.

Influenza HL7 2.5 Message Mapping Guide Vocabulary Workbooks

1. Influenza Summary Case Notification
2. Influenza-Associated Pediatric Mortality Case Notification
3. Influenza Individual Case Notification

Please visit the Data Interchange Standards website for more information.

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CDC Developed Code Systems

Following are code systems that have been developed internally within the CDC:

1. Race & Ethnicity Code System -
   • Background & Purpose
   • Race Hierarchy
   • Ethnicity Hierarchy
2. Health Care Service Locations
3. Vaccines Administered (HL7 Standard Code Set CVX)
4. Vaccine Manufacturers (HL7 Standard Code Set MVX)

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PHIN OID Registry

PHIN uses Object Identifiers (OIDs) as its unique identifiers for namespaces, enabling HL7-compliant messaging and precise data storage. The PHIN OID Registry enables the viewing, searching, and creation of OIDs used within PHIN.

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Public Health Vocabulary and Messaging Community of Practice (VMCoP)

The Public Health Vocabulary and Messaging Community of Practice facilitates dialogue and problem solving around vocabulary development, usage, and distribution within public health. PHVCoP members have invited their messaging colleagues to join the community to share ideas, identify collaborative efforts, and begin to develop solutions to solving common public health vocabulary and messaging challenges. The expanded community is called the Vocabulary and Messaging CoP (VMCoP).Because of increasing requirements for standards adoption and interoperable systems, a CoP devoted to vocabulary standards adoption and vocabulary best practices promotion among CDC Programs and Partners is timely. VMCoP members gather to share ideas, work collaboratively, and find solutions.

VMCoP members come from state and local health departments, from federal agencies, and from anywhere people in public health work with vocabulary and interoperability standards. We are epidemiologists, informaticists, laboratorians,program managers, analysts, application developers, and others who work with vocabulary.

The VMCoP meets quarterly and as needed with presentations by our members and by guests. If you are in the Atlanta area, you are invited to attend in person, but many of our members attend via webinar. If you’d like to find out more, or join us for a meeting, please contact us at PHVCoP@cdc.gov.

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