What is an effective records retrieval system?

Q: What is an effective records retrieval system? Do records have to be coded with SNOMED-CT, one of the official informatics standards for veterinary medicine, per the April 2002 AVMA Executive Board action?

 

A: The COE is not that prescriptive. A college is expected to consider what material their students and faculty need to retrieve and why (e.g. teaching purposes, retrospective studies, reference to previous cases to aid with current cases, etc.) and then design a system that meets those needs. The Council has not been concerned about "retrievability" across/among colleges. Use of SNOMED-CT is great if that serves your needs, but the Council will not be enforcing its use in the near future. That would require stakeholder comment and a lengthy phase-in period before compliance could be mandated.