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At face value it may seem unusual to have a specific guide for searching one terminology. General purpose search routines may seem to be applicable to any list of terms and, by comparison with internet searches, even a terminology with over a million terms does not seem too challenging. However, there are aspects of SNOMED CT that, while presenting challenges to simple searches, also enable enhancements that can deliver highly effective search optimization.

The size, design and broad scope of SNOMED CT present challenges to simple searches:

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The logical design of SNOMED CT allows capture of meaningful clinical information and can also be used to support effective search and data entry strategies. If you see SNOMED CT as simply a long list of terms, then you are probably searching the terminology with a general purpose search tool that has overlooked the opportunities for search refinements offered by the design of the terminology.

This guide presents practical ways to make terminology searches which lead to accurate and complete clinical noting. While searches need to be fast, response times of a second or two may be acceptable if the displayed results are more relevant. A well-designed search solution should minimize the overall time to take to record clinical information. This guide does not suggest a single approach but identifies ways to address different requirements with appropriate solutions.

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Many of the search techniques described in this guide can be applied to a range of different requirements. However, some search techniques require a degree of configuration to meet the needs of particular users and particular types of data collection.

Various levels of configuration should be considered including:

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Search and data entry are closely related and as illustrated in Figure 1 can be regarded as two steps in a single process. A clinical user needs to record a clinical idea (e.g. a sign, symptom, diagnosis or procedure). The user searches for the relevant Concept, views the results, finds the appropriate Concept, selects it for data entry and the data is stored.

Although there is often a close relationship between search and data entry, the two processes also need to be considered separately. This guide has therefore been categorized into two parts: the Search part and the Data Entry part.

SNOMED CT searches are also required for purposes which are not directly connected to data entry including:

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Please refer to the section "Use cases for searches" for further information.

Users may enter data including SNOMED CT terms using techniques that do not involve consciously searching. These include:

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