Heath Data Dictionaries meet codes

The use of unnecessary, ad hoc codes in health data dictionaries subverts interoperability, impedes their incorporation into clinical systems, and introduces potential safety and data quality issues. Healthcare institutions have a legitimate desire to automate data collections, and are increasingly trying to do so. Yet the proliferatiion of dictionaries riddled with arcane codes will likely result in a failure to harness the promise of information technology responsibly and effectively.