Global Patient Set Content
Scope of the Global Patient Set
The GPS includes all active SNOMED CT concepts from a given version of the International Edition of SNOMED CT, provided as a Free Set.
It also includes all SNOMED CT concepts that have been inactive since January 2012.
This means that, for the selected SNOMED CT International Edition version, every concept identifier is present in the GPS, regardless of domain or hierarchy.
For each SNOMED CT concept, the GPS includes:
SNOMED CT concept identifier
Concept status (active or inactive)
Fully Specified Name (FSN)
Preferred Term (US English)
This content supports the exchange, storage, and human interpretation of SNOMED CT–encoded data in any jurisdiction, including non-Member countries, without requiring access to the full SNOMED CT release.
Examples
The following examples illustrate the type of content included for individual concepts:
22298006
Active
Myocardial infarction (disorder)
Myocardial infarction
44054006
Active
Diabetes mellitus type 2 (disorder)
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
80146002
Active
Excision of appendix (procedure)
Appendectomy
Each concept is included individually, without any information about how it relates to other concepts.
Content Not Included
Although the GPS includes all SNOMED CT concepts, it does not include the semantic structures that define SNOMED CT as a terminology or ontology.
The GPS does not include:
Subtype (IS-A) relationships
Attribute relationships
Logical definitions or expressions
Concept hierarchies
Inference or reasoning capabilities
Historical associations
Translations to other languages (only US English)
As a result, the GPS must be treated as a flat collection of identifiers and terms.
What This Means in Practice
Using the GPS alone, a system:
Can store and display
22298006 |Myocardial infarction|
Cannot determine that:
Myocardial infarction is a subtype of ischemic heart disease
It belongs to the disorder hierarchy
It is related to specific procedures or findings
All such knowledge requires licensed access to the full SNOMED CT release.
Release File Structure
The GPS is distributed as a tab-separated values (TSV) file with a ".txt" extension, designed for independent use. Each row in the file represents a single SNOMED CT concept and includes:
Concept identifier
Active status flag
Fully Specified Name (FSN)
Preferred Term (US English)
Example File Row
In this example:
22298006 is the SNOMED CT concept identifier
The FSN and Preferred Term support human interpretation
1 indicates that the concept is active
No additional files are required to interpret this record.
Independence from the Full SNOMED CT Release
The GPS is designed for standalone use and does not require access to other SNOMED CT release files, such as:
Relationship files
Description files beyond FSN and PT
History or association files
This design supports use in environments where licensed access to SNOMED CT is not available.
Release Cycle and Maintenance
The GPS is released on a scheduled basis, aligned with updates to the International Edition of SNOMED CT.
Each GPS release reflects changes in the underlying SNOMED CT content, including:
Addition of new concepts
Inactivation of existing concepts
Updates to terms or concept status
Example of Change Across Releases
A concept active in one GPS release may be marked inactive in a later release
The concept identifier remains present, with updated status information
This supports safe long-term storage and interpretation of historical data.
Authoritative Source
SNOMED International is the authoritative source for:
Publishing GPS releases
Defining GPS content scope
Maintaining alignment with the International Edition of SNOMED CT
Implementers should ensure they use GPS releases obtained directly from SNOMED International to guarantee accuracy and currency.
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