Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health
This standard defines administrative and clinical data elements and service codes that constitute a minimum dataset for DHB Community Oral Health Services (COHS) and Hospital Dental Services (HDS). The capture and coding of some data elements is currently well established, and all that is required to comply with this standard is amendment of codes or descriptions. Some data elements are new and are proposed as they better recognise the context and setting of DHB service delivery and are likely to enhance future information sharing and interoperability. The implementation of new data elements will be iterative and is dependent on DHBs upgrading their existing oral health information system.
Adoption roadmap for the standard
TAS and the Ministry of Health will lead the adoption of this standard by ensuring that the requirements are met by all DHB systems involved in delivering Oral Health services in New Zealand.
This will be done over time through the regional and national governance structures. The process will utilise, in particular, the new National Steering group (NSG), which has the scope to determine a national system view and help local systems conform to this over time.
Implementation will apply a national software upgrade path covering:
- Current and future views on software development
- Minimum expectations for implementing the Oral Health Information Standard
- Priorities, scheduling and TAS support
- Oral Health Information Systems support and further development
- Increasing SNOMED Code development and adoption
SNOMED data specifications and requirements in particular are still being developed. These and other enhancements will be added to this standard and made common across all systems.
A disciplined approach to development can achieve this, provided the necessary systems are in scope.
Maintenance of the standard
It is intended that the standard be reviewed in 12 months, informed by the experience of the early adopters.
