Educational Needs and Level of Knowledge in Standard Healthcare Terminology Use in Korea: A Cross-Sectional Survey

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the experience, knowledge, and educational needs regarding standard healthcareterminologies—specifically Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), Logical ObservationIdentifiers Names and Codes (LOINC), and the International Classification of Diseases/Korean Classification of Diseases(ICD/KCD)—among professionals in the clinical, industrial, and academic sectors in Korea. Methods: A descriptive surveywas conducted using an online questionnaire distributed between November 21 and December 5, 2023. The questionnaireincluded items on participants’ experiences with, self-reported knowledge of, and educational needs for standard terminologies.
A total of 325 responses were analyzed. Results: Participants reported the highest levels of experience and knowledgewith ICD/KCD, whereas knowledge of SNOMED CT and LOINC was relatively low. Statistically significant differences inknowledge were observed across professional groups (p < 0.05), with terminology experts reporting higher levels than others.
Educational needs were greatest for ICD/KCD and SNOMED CT, particularly in data collection and use case application.
The most frequently cited barriers to adopting standard terminologies were a lack of training programs, the cost and timerequired for training, and the structural complexity of the terminologies. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importanceof customized and systematic educational strategies to promote the use of standard terminologies. Policy-level support,standardized training materials, and the preparation of qualified trainers are essential to enhance semantic interoperabilityand data utilization in Korean healthcare.