LOINC
Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, a universal coding system for identifying medical laboratory observations and clinical measurements.
LOINC provides standardized codes for lab tests, vitals, surveys, and clinical documents. A LOINC code like 2160-0 identifies serum creatinine regardless of which lab performed the test. LOINC is used in OBX segments of HL7v2 ORU messages and in FHIR Observation resources. The Regenstrief Institute maintains the LOINC database, which is freely available. Mapping local lab codes to LOINC is a common integration task.
FAQ
- Why is LOINC important for healthcare integration?
- LOINC provides a universal identifier for clinical observations. Without it, the same lab test has different codes in every system, making it impossible to aggregate or compare results across organizations.