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The International Release includes content necessary for international conformance and interoperability (the International Release was formerly and is colloquially known as the core). The range of concepts, attributes, qualifiers, and other components of SNOMED CT is comprehensive compared to classification systems. This supports the terminological needs of those using SNOMED CT within electronic health applications.

Requests for Inclusion

Addition of new content to SNOMED CT requires careful consideration. Changes and additions to the International Release of SNOMED CT follow a formal process executed by SNOMED CT authors.  For content to be included in the International Release, the following criteria must be met.

References

Content must be submitted with:

• Submissions for a change to the international release of SNOMED CT must be supported by at least one reference that is of international relevance. Please remember that requests for change need to be of international application and not confined to one member country. We may require more than one reference to assess the validity and international applicability for some areas of content.
• Definitions and literature references. All reference material must be publicly available. Wiki references are unacceptable.
• Evidence of international applicability. Without international applicability, a concept should, instead, be added to the submitter's extension.

Broad use

It must be applicable within and across healthcare disciplines internationally.

Provision of use case

Changes and additions must follow SNOMED CT Content Request Service (CRS) Guidelines. It is very important to incorporate a clear justification for any change or addition request for the International Edition of SNOMED CT.

Principle of URU

• Understandable: The terminology must be able to communicate to recipients the intended meaning of the healthcare provider in terms that are unambiguous and comprehensible without reference to inaccessible, hidden, or private meanings.  
• Reproducible: Concepts should be names that are human-understandable representations of the codes. It is not enough for an individual to say they think they understand a meaning. It must be shown that multiple people interpret and use the meaning in the same way.  Can it be used in electronic health applications beyond a patient's national healthcare system, i.e. if a patient were to travel or relocate to a different country?
• Useful: The meaning must have demonstrable use or applicability to health or healthcare. 

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For example, Doctor Jones pre-operative order set should not be included because it is an individual instance, not a class.

References

Content must be submitted with:

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(See also Appendix: Principles for Accepting Content in the International Release)

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