What: LOINC (Logica! Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) is a system of universal names and codes for the coding of laboratory tests and clinical observations. LOINC was created in 1994 by the Indianapolis Regenstrieflnstitute, which manages its updates. Who: the Institute of Informatics and Telematics of the National Research Council, through the LOINC Italia working group, is the official Italian partner of the Regenstrieflnstitute and takes care of the creation of the Italian version of LOINC and of all the tools related to its use.

Why: it allows a univocal and standardized identification of laboratory tests within the electronic reports indexed in the Electronic Health Record, in order to facilitate the sharing and exchange of information in an unambiguous way between different healthcare structures. I: implementation of the LOINC coding system in Italy will also allow information exchange on an international level. The economic advantages linked to a more precise control of health expenditure are also consequent.

How: LOINC Italia coordinates the Italian translation of the LOINC standard and related updates; the Italian translation of the support material for the use of LOINC and the RELMA software and related tutorials; the Italian translation of the LOINC websearch (http: // search.loinc.org/); the creation and management of online helpdesks (www.loincitalia.it); training seminars for sector operators; the validation service for the mapping of laboratory tests towards the codes of the LOINC standard; the management of relations with the Regenstrieflnstitute Inc. for the request to add new codes to the LOINC standard