For the first time, LOINC® is hosting its semi-annual conference outside the United States.
Users from 18 different countries have registered to attend the event in Mataró, Spain on October 23-25, which features hands-on workshops and both the Laboratory LOINC and Clinical LOINC committee meetings.
LOINC, which stands for Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, is a universal system for identifying health measurements, observations and documents. The system enables the exchange and collection of data across health systems. Available at no cost, it’s used in 176 countries and has more than 85,000 registered users.
This conference is being held at the Tecnocampus Conference Centre in Mataró, Spain, less than 20 miles from Barcelona.
The lineup of presenters is the largest ever. Hands-on workshops are opportunities for participants to learn the necessary skills and information to implement LOINC in health systems. Each session is led by top LOINC developers and implementers, including Clem McDonald, M.D., creator of LOINC and current chief health data standards officer at the National Library of Medicine; Swapna Abhyankar, M.D., interim director of content development and operations for LOINC; and Elena Cardillo, PhD, of the National Research Council of Italy. Attendees can choose which sessions to attend based on their personal skills and interests.
The Laboratory LOINC Committee convenes on the first day of the conference. The meeting will cover LOINC adoption and discuss key issues for development and implementation. More than 50 people, many of them representing European organizations, are signed up to attend the workshops that occur on the second day of the conference. While the attendance numbers are typical of the semi-annual conference, LOINC leaders are pleased that international partners have the opportunity to attend and receive the hands-on experience and guidance of the workshop sessions. The Clinical Committee Meeting will happen on the final day of the conference, as attendees discuss updates and issues related to the clinical domain. This is the first time that both the clinical and laboratory committees have met during the same conference.
About LOINC®
LOINC was created 25 years ago at Regenstrief Institute in an effort to facilitate interoperability in healthcare. There was a growing trend to send clinical data electronically between healthcare entities, a practice that is still common today. Today, it contains more than 91,000 terms for everything from a serum alpha 1 antitrypsin level to a zygomatic arch x-ray report. For each concept, LOINC contains many other rich details, such as synonyms, units of measure, and carefully crafted descriptions.
About Regenstrief Institute
Founded in 1969 in Indianapolis, the Regenstrief Institute is a local, national and global leader dedicated to a world where better information empowers people to end disease and realize true health. The Regenstrief Institute and its researchers are responsible for a growing number of major healthcare innovations and studies. Examples range from the development of global health information technology standards that enable the use and interoperability of electronic health records to improving patient-physician communications, to creating of models of care that inform practice and improve the lives of patients around the globe.
A key research partner to Indiana University, Regenstrief Institute is celebrating 50 years of healthcare innovation. Sam Regenstrief, a successful entrepreneur from Connersville, Indiana, founded the institute with the goal of making healthcare more efficient and accessible for everyone. His vision continues to guide the institute’s research mission.
