HL7 Terminology Authority - Policies and Procedures

Introduction

The Terminology Authority is required to support the MOU between IHTSDO and HL7 and will be relevant to HL7's relationships with other terminology development organizations. The HL7 Terminology Authority will be concerned with the creation, implementation and management of HL7 processes for terminology management. These processes will be informed by input from the existing Vocabulary workgroup and existing terminology practices within HL7.

Draft Policy and Procedures

HL7 Terminology Authority: Policies and Procedures

Introduction

This document outlines the formation of an HL7 Terminology Authority and the policies and procedures under which it operates.

Purpose for an HL7 Terminology Authority

As a representative body of HL7 International (HL7), it is the purpose of the Terminology Authority to ensure that HL7 provides timely and high quality terminology products and services to meet its business needs. Additionally, the authority provides a single point of communciation with external terminology standards developers with which HL7 has established formal relationships.

Scope

The scope of responsibility of the HL7 Terminology Authority includes:

1. Development and maintenance of HL7 quality processes and measures related to HL7 terminology.
2. Advises TSC on inclusion/exclusion of [non-structural?] vocabulary requested for inclusion in HL7 vocabulary where needed.(should parallel activity with the ARB)
3. Maintains relationship with external terminology providers to ensure legal use of their products.

Membership

The membership of the HL7 Terminology Authority is selected from the current HL7 Members. The Committee will be comprised of a chair and 4 voting members with representation including members from at least two International affiliates, one co-chair from the Vocabulary Work Group and at-large members. The members will be appointed to the Committee by the HL7 Board. Determination of the chair is addressed in the Terminology Authority decision making practices.

Additional ex-officio, non-voting members will be the Chief Technical Officer of HL7, the HL7/LOINC Liaison and the HL7/IHTSDO liaison. Subject specific experts will be invited to attend when appropriate.

Term of Service

Members of the authority will be appointed for staggered two-year terms. Upon formation of the authority, two of the appointees will serve for one year and three members will be appointed for two years. Members are eligible for reappointment of up to two additional terms. Prior members of the authority may be reappointed after a hiatus of one two year term.

Activities

The key activities of the HL7 Terminology Authority includes:

1. providing recommendations to the HL7 Vocabulary Working Group on external terminology product and service developments.
2. providing expertise during the development of HL7 terminology products and services.
3. supporting harmonious and effective collaboration by HL7 with external terminology standards development organizations.
4. in conjunction with MnM, Tooling and Vocabulary WGs, develop quality assurance guidelines for submission of vocabulary requests to external terminology development organizations.
   1. determination of whether specific terminology content should be maintained internal or external to HL7 terminology.
   2. identification of potential IP restrictions (existence of MOUs or agreements)
   3. define minimum quality levels for terminology submissions to external terminology development organizations.
5. Define the policies and procedures...(from minutes)
6. Develop procedures to ensure the fitness for purpose and usability of external SDO approved vocabulary value sets.
7. Make recommendations to the HL7 Vocabulary Work Group on external SDO issues and policies related to the HL7 vocabulary.
8. Manage submissions to external terminology SDOs.
9. Develop inclusion and exclusion criteria for HL7 namespace.

Voting

Resolutions and recommendations from the HL7 Terminology Authority shall be determined by a simple majority vote cast at a meeting which there is a quorum. A quorum of the Committee consists of 50 percent of its members present at each meeting either physically or virtually. Each Committee member shall have one vote on each item presented and voted upon by the participants at a meeting. A valid vote is achieved when the following conditions are met:

1. A quorum is present
2. Less than one-third of the members present abstain
3. A simple majority is reached

In the case of a tie vote, the item will be tabled for consideration at another meeting.

Conflicts of Interest

Each member will be obligated to fully and fairly disclose to the HL7 Board Chair any real or potential conflict of interest the member has or may have with respect to any matter or item being considered, discussed or addressed by the Committee. In the case of such a conflict, the member must recuse themselves from both the discussion and subsequent vote on the item.