DIMDI - WHO-FIC Electronic Tools Committee


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Electronic Tools Committee of the
WHO Collaborating Center for the Family of International Classifications

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At the 1999 Annual Meeting of the WHO Collaborating Centers for the Family of International Classifications in Cardiff it was agreed to convene a committee to support WHO and the WHO Collaborating Centres in developing policies on electronic classification tools and their dissemination. The ETC is chaired by Dr. Michael Schopen, DIMDI.


 

This web page provides further information about the ETC and some results of its work:


Terms of Reference

Purpose

Support WHO and the WHO-FIC Network in developing policies on electronic classification-related tools and their dissemination.

Functions

  1. Agree on the scope and definition of 'electronic tools'
  2. Cover tools which are only for morbidity, mortality or functioning as well as ones with a more general application or for joint use
  3. Work closely with other WHO-FIC Committees, such as the Training and Credentialing Subgroup, on overlapping areas
  4. Establish liaison with other organizations/groups working in electronic classification such as the ICE on Automating Mortality Statistics, the Eurostat automated coding group or the UN Expert Group on International Economic and Social Classifications.
  5. Establish criteria for the evaluation and accreditation of electronic classification-related tools
  6. Survey existing tools and identify gaps
  7. Evaluate such tools on behalf of WHO or oversee such evaluation in some circumstances
  8. Needs assessment

Structure and working methods

The committee should have an integrated mandate of WHO-FIC implementation although the nature and phase of different members of WHO-FIC may differ in different countries. The Committee should be responsible to develop generic, overall principles that will apply to all members of the WHO-FIC. If necessary different sub committees may be formed on ICD, ICF and other WHO-FIC classifications so as to address different issues.

The structure of the Electronic Tools Committee should involve 10-12 permanent members that will primarily devote their time in actually developing methods and application of the tasks in the field.

Membership to the ETC is open to any individuals from collaborating organizations who wish to participate actively in the work and aims of the committee. They should submit their names to the Chair with copy to the WHO-FIC secretariat.

The chair should preferably be a single person to emphasize the integration of WHO- FIC implementation.

The committee shall draw up a workplan, which lists in detail aims, activities, deliverables, timelines and responsibilities.

Working methods should include e-mail and more interactive ways of electronic communication, conference calls and meetings, including an annual meeting during the WHO-FIC Network Annual Meeting. Official meetings of the committee must be held in conjunction with international WHO-FIC meetings.

Electronic Tools Sub-committees

Within the structure and mandate of the WHO FIC Implementation Committee, sub-committees for individual classifications can be established as the need arises. Sub-Committees assist and advise WHO on implementation matters which are specific and unique to the individual classifications.

The sub-committees shall specify the WHO FIC Electronic Tools Committee functions for the respective classification in detailed workplans. The workplans shall list in detail aims, activities, deliverables, timelines and responsibilities

Working methods should include e-mail and more interactive ways of electronic communication, conference calls and meetings, including an annual meeting during the WHO-FIC Network Annual Meeting. Official meetings of the sub-committee must be held in conjunction with international WHO-FIC meetings.

Committee members should give a commitment to work on both, committee and subcommittee tasks.


Representation of WHO-FIC classifications in XML-Schema based on ClaML

As decided in Tokio at the Meeting of the Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Family of International Classifications, electronic representations of medical classifications should be maintained in XML according to the XML-Schema recommended through the Electronic Tools Committee. If maintenance is handled in another format export and import routines should be implemented in each country to enable comparisons of the various modifications and translations of the international classifications. All necessary documents as well as reference representations can be downloaded below (last updated on August 4th 2008):


 

Survey on Existing Electronic Tools for ICD10

The results of the Survey on existing electronic tools for ICD-10 (PDF, 433 kB) is available.


Annual Reports


Selected papers: