London, United Kingdom and Ann Arbor, MI, USA – HL7 International and SNOMED International today announced that they have signed a five-year renewal of their long-standing and productive collaborative relationship.

Sharing a common goal of developing and provisioning standards for the exchange of interoperable clinical and related health information, HL7 International and SNOMED International have agreed to target their collaboration to further support the implementation of SNOMED CT in HL7 artefacts, consistent with our mutual commitment to advance global health data interoperability.

Per the recently signed agreement, both organizations have extended their commitments to develop projects satisfying the use of SNOMED CT with HL7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, or FHIR®, and other HL7 products. In particular, the two organizations will continue to work together to maintain the HL7 IPS Free Set in line with new requirements and changes to SNOMED CT. As the need for collaboration among global health standards is highlighted, most recently illustrated in the G7 digital health communique, there is more of a need than ever before to continue our efforts and offer solutions to global stakeholders.

HL7 CEO Dr. Charles Jaffe, MD, PhD, underscored the significance of this agreement. “The Covid-19 pandemic has greatly heightened the demand for more seamless health data exchange. Our collaboration with SNOMED International is critical to fostering data interoperability. Our long-standing collaboration with SNOMED and the resulting incorporation of SNOMED CT vocabulary within HL7 standards, including FHIR, will advance us to a world in which everyone can access the right data where and when they need it."

SNOMED International CEO Don Sweete reflects on the long-standing relationship that both organizations have contributed to and nurtured over the past seven years. “The joint commitment and work produced by our two organizations offers tangible interoperability tools that meet the breadth of content and messaging needs that we are observing globally“ he said. “Collaboration agreements of this nature are an important step in answering the call to action being expressed recently by G7 leaders to address pressing interoperability issues.”

Under the agreement, target activities have been planned up to July 2023, at which point a review of delivered work products and upcoming activities will be undertaken. The focus of this first stage of work includes licensing arrangements, change requests and terminology binding for the use of SNOMED CT in HL7 products, maintenance and updates to the HL7 IPS Free Set, and promoting the use of SNOMED CT and FHIR in international use cases. Additional activities will support technical collaborative efforts at HL7 FHIR Connectathon events and prospective educational opportunities put forward by either organization. Extending across the length of the agreement is a joint openness to actively identify further joint working opportunities.

Please visit HL7 International and SNOMED International for more information on this evolving collaboration.