SNOMED CT

SNOMED Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT) is the most comprehensive, multilingual clinical healthcare terminology in the world. 

SNOMED CT contributes to the improvement of patient care by underpinning the development of Electronic Health Records that record clinical information in ways that enable meaning-based retrieval. This provides effective access to information required for decision support and consistent reporting and analysis. Patients benefit from the use of SNOMED CT because it improves the recording of EHR information and facilitates better communication, leading to improvements in the quality of care.

SNOMED CT is owned, maintained and distributed by the International Health Terminology Standard Development Organisation (IHTSDO). The IHTSDO is a not-for-profit association which is owned and governed by its national Members. In January 2012 eighteen countries were Members of IHTSDO, more countries are joining every year.

The links to the left of this page provide access to more detailed information about SNOMED CT, including its benefits, design and content. There are also links to detailed specifications and guidance of technical and practical implementation as well as other useful resources provided by the IHTSDO, its Members and Affiliates.