Maintaining the integrity of a Web-based medical vocabulary glossary.

Abstract

Medical vocabulary databases are vital components of electronic medical record (EMR) systems. While their performance and efficiency has been extensively explored by many authors, few have dealt with the maintenance of their semantic integrity. Clinicians' preference for an optimistic system has introduced a need for monitoring and filtering proposed additions to the vocabulary tables. We propose the use of batch processing and memo-posting as means of implementing a World-Wide-Web-based Controlled Vocabulary Glossary as a monitored optimistic system.