Hi everybody!
I use LOINC for the development of software for ultrasound in Brazil. I recently had a problem regarding the use of some loincs to a model of the patient’s record. For example …
I use LOINC 29463-7 (body weight) in the software, but there are two common units that I can use which are: kilograms and pounds. However, as can identify which unit I will be using, for example, transmission of data in the HL7 standard.
In Brazil we use the body weight in kg, but if it is necessary to export that data to another country, perhaps there is a false interpretation of the information.
Would not it be more correct to have a LOINC for body weight in kg and another for pound?
Best Regards!
Gabriel
I think the expectation is that a record of the measurement of a quantity should specify units. LOINC codes identify sample units, but as long as you’re in the right dimension, you can convert. Your body weight measurement should be include a unit, e.g., a UCUM unit code. The user interface might presume or dictate the use of a specific unit and not represent it on the screen, but a transmitted record would need an explicit unit.