External Code System Owner Engagement Process

Purpose

The purpose of this page is to outline the process by which an HL7 community member shall engage an external code system owner for information regarding the external code system's use within HL7 products. 

Engagement Process

1. HL7 Community Member (Requestor) identifies the need for the use of an external code system within an HL7 product
2. Requestor does due diligence - searching of existing code system information (e.g., Uniform Terminology Governance Repository, FHIR Codesystem Registry, OID Registry, FHIR Community Codesystem Registry, HTA External Terminologies Registry) PRIOR to contacting HTA for assistance
3. Requestor initiates request by:
   1. Opening a ticket via the HL7 HQ dedicated tracking system - currently use the HTA JIRA Project (Preferred Method as (b) will result in a JIRA ticket also)
   2. Contacting HTA via an email to the open HTA listserv or the closed HTA members only listerv depending on sensitivity of the content (e.g., proprietary content or sensitive information).
4. HTA will review request and confirm that the external code system has not priorly been utilized in HL7 artifacts and/or Code system information (name, owner etc) and identifiers (URI, OID etc) are not available
   1. HTA will notify the HL7 community of the request via Implementers and Terminology Zulip channels
   2. HTA will provide the requestor with a temporary URI using the following syntax http://terminology.hl7.org/temporary-uri/codeSystem/xxx
5. HTA will work with the requestor to gather all pertinent information for the request
6. HTA will send the Initial Request Letter to the Code System owner, copying the Requestor where appropriate
7. If a response is received by HTA within the stated timeframe, HTA will
   1. Proceed with resolving the request, collaborating with the Requestor and Code System owner
   2. HTA will notify, if applicable, the HL7 Unified Terminology Governance facilitator
   3. Send the Collaborative Follow-up Letter documenting the mutual decisions made
8. If a response is NOT received by the HTA within the stated timeframe. HTA will:
   1. Work with the requestor and other required parties (e.g., if applicable, the "HL7 Unified Terminology Governance facilitator"- an HL7 dedicated resource who undertakes the maintenance of content in the UTG) to create the required Code System Information for use within HL7 products.
      1. If creating a new URI, HTA will use a standard syntax (http://terminology.hl7.org/CodeSystem/xxx) where the xxx is an established (at HL7 OID site or other) short symbolic name.
         1. (Note, that HL7 publishing tools require that the xxx not contain an additional / as everything after "CodeSystem/" is used as the ID)
   2. Send the Follow-Up Letter notifying the Code System owner of the decisions made by HL7
9. Upon resolution, HTA will close any open tickets, attaching pertinent correspondence and documenting the resolution. Steps include
   1. Creation of an informational page under External Terminologies - Information
   2. Notify requestor and/or known interested parties
   3. Notify the HL7 community of the resolution via Implementers and Terminology Zulip channels
   4. Notify the Vocabulary Work Group

Related Information

Proposed Vocabulary WG Policy on Creation of Canonical URLs for Code Systems in THO

Templates

The following templates shall be used within the process

Initial Request Letter

Collaborative Follow-Up Letter

Follow-Up Letter