HL7 Terminology Authority - Policies and Procedures

Introduction

The Terminology Authority is required to support the MOU between IHTSDO and HL7 and is likely to be relevant to for 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 proposal 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, it is the purpose of the Terminology Authority to ensure that HL7 provides timely and high quality terminology products and services to meet the business and regulatory needs of HL7. Specifically the purposes of the Terminology Authority include:

1. providing recommendations to the HL7 Vocabulary Working Group on SNOMED CT product and service developments.
2. providing clinical and technical expertise during the development of HL7 terminology products and services.
3. supporting HL7 in the provision of harmonious and effective collaboration with the IHTSDO.

Scope

The scope of responsibility of the HL7 Terminology Authority includes:

1. Final authority on inclusion/exclusion of vocabulary used in HL7 artifacts
2. Internally developed HL7 terminology
3. Relationships with external terminology providers to ensure legal use of their code systems

Membership

The membership of the HL7 Terminology Authority is selected from the current HL7 Members. The Committee will be comprised of 5 voting members, including the Chair. Membership includes at least two International affiliates, one co-chair from the Vocabulary Work Group. The members will be appointed to the Committee by the HL7 Board. The chair will be determined by a vote of the membership of the Authority. An additional ex-officio, non-voting member will be the Chief Technical Officer of HL7. 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 are to:

1. Develop procedures to ensure the fitness for purpose and usability of all HL7 approved vocabulary value sets.
2. Make recommendations to the HL7 Vocabulary Work Group on all issues and policies related to the HL7 vocabulary.
3. Assist with the prioritization of major work items assigned to the Vocabulary WG.

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.