Appendix B: Editions, Versions and Extensions

Requirements

Terminology service providers must deliver services that can load data from SNOMED CT release packages that conform to the SNOMED CT Release File Specifications. They must enable client applications to access the content of a selected SNOMED CT versioned editions. They should also enable access to extended versioned editions including additional modules that are compatible with the selected versioned edition. They must also provide access to data that identifies the versioned edition or extended versioned edition currently being accessed.
Terminology service users must ensure that they procure and use terminology services that can be configured to enable access to the SNOMED CT versioned editions (or extended versioned editions) required by their organization, speciality or national authority.
Healthcare application providers must ensure that their applications support access to terminology services that are configurable to enable access to the SNOMED CT versioned editions (or extended versioned editions) required by their customers. They must also ensure that their applications track the history of the versioned editions (or extended versioned editions) used to record and access data as this may affect interpretation and analysis of data.

A SNOMED CT edition is a complete set of SNOMED CT components and reference set members that either belong to an identified SNOMED CT module or belong to one of the modules on which that module depends.

Notes

The module used to define the scope of an edition is referred as the focus module of that edition.
All SNOMED CT editions (except the International Edition) are a combination of one or more extension modules, together with the modules from the SNOMED CT International Edition.
A complete SNOMED CT edition may be prepared and released by SNOMED International or by the provider of a SNOMED CT Extension. Alternatively, a SNOMED CT edition may be derived from one or more release packages, by combining the contents of an identified focus module with the contents of the relevant version of all modules on which the focus module depends.
The dependencies between modules are represented using the | Module dependency reference set (foundation metadata concept)| .
A SNOMED CT edition can be identified using a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) as specified by the URI Standard (2.1 URIs for Editions and Versions).

Table Appendix B:-1 lists the definitions of different types of SNOMED CT editions including formally defined editions, versions of editions and editions that have been extended by the addition of selected modules. Terminology services should enable client applications to access the content of selected versions of selected editions with or without selected additional modules.

Table Appendix B:-1: Edition Types

Edition Type	Definition	Notes
International Edition	The set of SNOMED CT components and reference set members that either belong to a specific module identified by SNOMED International as the focus module for that edition or belong to one of the modules on which that module depends.	Notes The International Edition includes the foundational content of SNOMED CT on which all other SNOMED CT modules must have dependencies. SNOMED International currently identifies the \| SNOMED CT core module (core metadata concept)\| as the focus module for the International Edition. Only the \| SNOMED CT model component module\| is currently specified as a dependency. The International Edition may be supplemented by extensions, maintained and distributed by Members and Affiliates, to meet additional national, local, and organizational requirements.
Member / National Edition	A set of SNOMED CT components and reference set members that either belong to a focus module identified by a National Release Center (NRC), or belong to one of the modules on which that module depends.	Notes The focus module is part of the National Release for which that NRC is responsible. An NRC may have multiple National Editions with different focus modules for each edition. A National Edition may: be part of a National Release distributed to licensees. combine a focus module from the National Release, the relevant versions of modules in the International Edition, and any other extension modules on which the focus module of the National Edition depends.
Affiliate Edition	A set of SNOMED CT components and reference set members that either belong to a focus module identified by an Affiliate Licensee with an allocated extension namespace identifier, or belong to one of the modules on which that module depends.	Notes The focus module is part of the extension for which that Affiliate is responsible. An Affiliate Edition may extend the SNOMED CT International Edition or a National Edition.
Extended Edition ¹	A SNOMED CT edition to which a specified set of additional modules has been added.	Notes An extended edition provides a way to add a set of modules containing maps, subsets and other derivatives to an edition. The module dependencies of all the additional modules must be satisfied by other modules in the extended edition. Additional modules included in an extended versioned edition may include additional reference sets and reference set members and metadata concepts (with descriptions and a subtype relationship linking them to the appropriate branch of the \| SNOMED CT Model Component\| hierarchy). However, they should not include other concepts, descriptions, relationships or OWL reference set members.
Versioned Edition	A SNOMED CT edition that is published on a specific date.	Notes A new version of the International Edition of SNOMED CT is released twice a year (in January and July). National extensions generally follow this cycle, however it is often with a three-month delay. Some extensions (notably those including medication-related concepts) are released more frequently.
Extended Versioned Edition	A versioned edition to which specified versions of additional modules have been added.	Notes An extended versioned edition provides a way to add a set of modules containing maps, subsets and other derivatives to a versioned edition. An extended versioned edition is only valid if the module dependencies of all the additional modules are satisfied by other modules in that extended versioned edition. Additional modules included in an extended versioned edition may include additional reference sets and reference set members and metadata concepts (with descriptions and a subtype relationship linking them to the appropriate branch of the \| SNOMED CT Model Component\| hierarchy). However, they should not include other concepts, descriptions, relationships or OWL reference set members.

Footnotes

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For more information about SNOMED CT extensions see the Extensions Practical Guide.

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Appendix B: Editions, Versions and Extensions

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