The method for creating a map, along with the rules and processes associated with it, is tightly bound to the map's purpose, use case, and requirements.
It is important that the map's use case and purpose are well-defined prior to beginning map development and clearly documented for reference during development and for implementations. The map's use case and purpose have flow-on effects throughout its lifecycle.
When thinking about this, consider:
what is the main purpose of this map?
who is the intended audience?
what is the scope of content (source and target)?
who is responsible for developing and maintaining the map?
how will the map be implemented?
A map must have a defined and specific purpose
Provides context to the map
Influences decisions/rules made when mapping and how to map when there is discrepancies between the source and target code systems
Example: the purpose of this map is to link Emergency Department SNOMED CT principal diagnosis codes to the Emergency Department National Minimum Data Set for funding.
Beware when reusing maps or repurposing mapped data, as even if the source and target code systems appear the same and the healthcare setting is the same, the purpose (and hence the rules used to build the map) may differ, leading to unexpected and/or unwanted results!
Examples include:
coding for a clinical purpose vs a financial/funding purpose
two different funding maps
Retrospective maps for backwards compatibility when migrating a legacy code system to a national standard code system:
for historical data
to define code systems for use based on existing legacy code systems
Considerations
What data do you need to map?
Only codes/terms that exist within the historical data collection
Prospective maps for continuing use to transform codes from a local code system to a national standard code system.
Maps to allow comparison of different code sets by converting codes to a single code set: the collection of data sets from different implementations of the same system that use different terminologies.
Considerations
Which code system is your target code system?
What will get the best results?
Are the code systems compatible?
Maps for assigning codes to higher-level groups for
reporting - KPIs, priority health areas
funding – billing, access, service planning
cohort identification, research, analytics – epidemiology, surveillance
safety/efficacy audits
workflow or CDS – linking a patient journey
Is this a single-use/snapshot map?
how different (content, structure, semantics) are the code systems, and can you get a sensible map?
what rules and conventions need to be applied to get the best match?
Considerations
What data do you need to map?
All valid codes from the source code system, as you cannot predict what is required by users
Maintenance
Continuing use means continuous maintenance is required
Consider how dynamic these code systems are to understand the maintenance burden/costs
Is there an option to migrate in the longer term to phase out the maintenance burden?
Considerations
Rules of the map
Mutual exclusivity (can one source code map to more than one target code?)
Does every source code require at least one map?
Maintenance
Consider how dynamic these code systems are to understand the maintenance burden/costs
Who needs to carry the maintenance burden? Is the implementer of the local code system or a national body?