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Health informatics — System of concepts to support continuity of care

This International standard defines a system of concepts for different aspects of the provision of healthcare.

Documentation

About this standard

Publisher
ISO/TC215
Reference code
ISO 13940:2015
Publication date
1 January 2015
Status
Active
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Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.

Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.

Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.

Standard type
Information standards
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Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.

Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.

Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.

Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.

Contact point

https://www.iso.org/committee/54960.html

Using this standard

Applies to
  • Digital Health Agencies and NGOs
  • Vendors
  • Ecosystem Partners: (Other SDOs and NGOs)
  • Clinicians
  • Healthcare Administrators and Organizations
Impacts on
Health information structure, content, meaning; Health information access / interoperability; Formal identification of health information; Healthcare ICT architecture

Topics and care settings

Topic
  • Care records
  • International Standards

Review Information

Scope
ISO Interoperability Category: Structural ISO Area / Topic: Semantic Architecture, Frameworks & Models; Electronic Health Record;
Registration status

ISO - standard

Registration authority

ISO

Technical Committee
  • WG1

  • WG3

More information

The core business in healthcare is the interaction between subjects of care and healthcare professionals. Such interactions occur in healthcare/clinical processes and are the justification for the process approach of this International Standard. To be able to represent both clinical content and clinical context, this International Standard is related to a generic healthcare/clinical process model as well as comprehensive concept definitions and concept models for the clinical, management and resource aspects of healthcare services.

Page last updated: 01 December 2025