Organizing members of a subset into a specific order can be useful to meet certain implementation requirements, such as displaying drop down lists for data entry or search results. Members of a subset can be ordered in a variety of automated ways, including displaying the shortest term that matches the search term first, alphabetically, or randomly. However, when the required order cannot be automatically computed, it may be necessary to specify an order for each subset member. Ordered lists of SNOMED CT components (typically concepts or descriptions) can be represented using an Ordered Reference Set. For more information about ordering SNOMED CT components on a user interface, please refer to the Search and Data Entry Guide.
| Requirement | Description | Example Uses | Reference Set |
|---|---|---|---|
| An ordered list of concepts |
A subset consisting of references to specific SNOMED CT concepts, i.e. a set of SNOMED CT Identifiers . Additionally, each subset member is assigned a specific order, which enables prioritization. |
|
Ordered Reference Set |
| An ordered list of descriptions |
A subset consisting of references to specific SNOMED CT descriptions, i.e. a set of SNOMED CT Identifiers, where each included member identifies a description. Additionally, each subset member is assigned a specific order, to enable ordering or prioritizing the members. |
|
Ordered Reference Set |
For more detailed use case examples, please refer to the following sections:
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