Introduction

General Overview of Resource

Note: Guidance replicated from that published for GPConnect.

The allergy and intolerance concept is broad and multi-dimensional:

  • the causation of allergy and intolerance may be linked to specific medications or pharmaceuticals or substances (biological or chemical) in the environment
  • the weight and significance that may be attached to recorded allergy or intolerance is affected by a number of factors including the certainty, the severity of the reaction and the likelihood of occurrence
  • allergies and intolerances may be linked to other clinical events, such as diagnostic tests that confirm the presence of the allergy or intolerance or linked to instances of illness caused by the allergy or intolerance
  • allergies and intolerances may be dynamic and evolving, increasing in severity over time, recurrent or perhaps only active and observed within defined periods.

The recording and handling of allergy and intolerance information has an important role to play in patient safety, not only with regard to clinical decision making, but also in the realm of prescribing decision support, where the presence of allergy information linked to causative agents can trigger automated alerts and restrictions when prescribing.

Given the complexity and depth of the allergy and intolerance domain there are significant differences and variations in the implementation of the allergy and intolerance concept across participating systems in terms of structure, terminology and the linkages between terminology and decision support. These differences limit the current interoperability of allergies and intolerances.

The AllergyIntolerance resource aims to improve the interoperability of allergies and intolerances through convergence towards a standardised structure and common terminology.

The clinical importance of allergy and intolerance information coupled with the variability of implementations across participating systems means that there is a need for clear guidance on the utilisation of the AllergyIntolerance resource by both providers and consumers.

Transformation Overview

The following sections provide details on the properties that differ when comparing