In August 2021 the Data Alliance Partnership Board (DAPB) published the Information Standard Notice DAPB4017: Pathology Test and Results Standard, which requires units of measure conforming to the Unified Code for Units of Measure (UCUM) standard to be used in pathology reporting whenever possible. The following artefacts have now been endorsed by the Pathology Standards Governance Board (PSGB) and published on the Pathology Information standards collaboration site. The documents are in draft format whilst formal clinical assurance is undertaken, and the Pathology team would very much welcome any feedback or comments from our wider stakeholders as part of this process.
The document and links can be found below:
UK Pathology Units List (UKPUL) – The standard set of units of measurement codes in Unified Code for Units of Measure (UCUM) syntax for reporting of Pathology test results in the UK.
Pathology UoM Implementation Guide – This document provides guidance to organisations planning to implement the standards required by ISN DAPB4017, with a specific focus on Units of Measure (UoM) and the use of the Unified Code for Units of Measure (UCUM)
The Implementation Guide provides guidance on the adoption of UCUM units of measure with the overall scope of implementing the full set of standards encompassed by ISN DAPB4017 including SNOMED CT coding of results and FHIR messaging formats. While many environments may be able to make incremental changes in preparation for adopting these standards, implementing the full capability described for UoM will be dependent on systems that support all the standards covered under the ISN.
Please send any feedback or comments direct to the mailbox: pathologyanddiagnostics@nhs.net
