Public Health Informatics

This bulletin provides updates on the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) Version 5. Here are some key points:

1. USCDI Version 5 Release: The USCDI v5 standard was published in July 2024. It includes new data classes and elements aimed at improving patient care and supporting the Administration's goals of equity, diversity, and access to healthcare.

2. Expansion and Updates:

   • New Data Classes: Two new data classes, Observations and Order, were added.

   • New Data Elements: 13 new data elements were introduced, including Emergency Department Note, Operative Note, Lot Number, Route of Administration, Sex Parameter for Clinical Use, Advance Directive Observation, Medication Order, Laboratory Order, Diagnostic Imaging Order, Clinical Test Order, Procedure Order, Interpreter Needed, Pronouns, and Name to Use.

3. Key Policy Priorities: The selection of new data elements for each USCDI version is guided by key policy priorities, including health data needs for equitable care, public health reporting, and behavioral health integration with primary care.

4. Standards Version Advancement Process (SVAP): The SVAP allows health IT developers to voluntarily update their certified health IT products to enable the exchange of new USCDI data elements. Some developers have already adopted newer versions through this process.

5. Provenance Data Elements: New elements like Author and Author Role were added to provide insights into the source of health data, aiding in better clinical decision-making and patient safety.

6. Clinical and Vocabulary Standards: The bulletin emphasizes the use of widely available vocabulary standards such as SNOMED CT, LOINC, RxNorm, and National Drug Code (NDC) to ensure consistent data representation.

7. Implementation and Feedback: The ONC hosts the ONC New Data Element and Class (ONDEC) submission system to collect public proposals and feedback for new data classes and elements. This feedback is crucial for the annual updates of USCDI.

8. Future Directions: The bulletin outlines plans for continuous expansion and refinement of USCDI to keep pace with clinical, technological, and policy changes, with a focus on addressing healthcare inequities and improving interoperability.

For more detailed information, you can refer to the full bulletin and the USCDI v5 document available here.

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Sean Hannigan
Specialist, Informatics
sean.hannigan@aphl.org
240-485-2713
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