Virtual Clinical Groups

WELCOME

• Why is your opinion important to us?

As a clinical terminology, it is essential that SNOMED CT has input from clinicians to ensure that it remains relevant and up to date with the ever changing face of healthcare. Your opinion as clinicians is therefore very important to us to highlight the necessary changes and updates to the terminology itself, and also to advise us on derivative products (maps and subsets) which can be provided to support the implementation of the terminology

• The evolution of clinical engagement 

SNOMED CT has always had input from clinical groups throughout its history. Historically, this has been provided through special interest groups (SIG's), groups dedicated to specific clinical areas. The groups have been successful, but have been limited in their number of specialties covered; Dentistry, Nursing, Pathology and Laboratory medicine, Anaesthesia, Family/General Practice, Pharmacy. In addition to the clinical SIG's, there are also two functional SIG's covering Mapping and Implementation.

In 2016, SNOMED International recognised the importance of clinical input, through the creation of a dedicated clinical engagement team and the agreement of clinical engagement strategy. The aim of strategy is to provide a scalable approach to engaging with clinicians, and to ensure SNOMED CT has the input required to ensure it remains up to date and relevant to clinical practice. To provide a scaleable approach for gaining clinical input from all clinical specialties, SNOMED International has decided to move away from the use of SIG's, and replace them with a virtual model. The virtual model will enable input to be gained from a large number of specialties in the future. 

ABOUT

• What are Virtual Clinical Groups (VCG)?

VCGs provide a framework to allow discussion between clinicians focused on specific clinical specialties, and also allow a conversation between clinicians and SNOMED International. The groups are focused on dedicated Confluence sites, which support discussions and provide information relevant to the specialty area. The aim is for clinicians to undertake discussion with colleagues on issues relating to SNOMED CT and its implementation.   The VCG's are completely open and transparent, and available to view by anyone. However, to participate in discussions, you must have a Confluence account and be logged in. The groups are open to all, and we would support input not limited to just the clinicians from the clinical specialty are.

Linked to the VCG's will also be project groups (focused on specific issues) and editorial groups (providing clinical validation to derivative products)

• The overall model for clinical participation (I’m thinking a simple diagram . . . )

• What is the expectation for collaboration? (Get’s to your observers point)