Recording COVID-19 consultations: review of symptoms, risk factors, and proposed SNOMED CT terms

Authors: Jani, Bhautesh D. ;

Pell, Jill P. ;

McGagh, Dylan;

Liyanage, Harshana;

Kelly, David;

de Lusignan, Simon ;

Weatherburn, Christopher J.;

Burns, Ronnie;

Sullivan, Frank M. ;

Mair, Frances S.

Source: BJGP Open

Full text

: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen20X101125

Abstract

Background: There is an urgent need for epidemiological research in primary care to develop risk assessment processes for patients presenting with COVID-19, but lack of a standardised approach to data collection is a significant barrier to implementation. Aim: To collate a list of relevant symptoms, assessment items, demographics, and lifestyle and health conditions associated with COVID-19, and match these data items with corresponding SNOMED CT clinical terms to support the development and implementation of consultation templates. Design and setting: Published and preprint literature for systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical guidelines describing the symptoms, assessment items, demographics, and/or lifestyle and health conditions associated with COVID-19 and its complications were reviewed. Corresponding clinical concepts from SNOMED CT, a widely used structured clinical vocabulary for electronic primary care health records, were identified. Method: Guidelines and published and unpublished reviews (N = 61) were utilised to collate a list of relevant data items for COVID-19 consultations. The NHS Digital SNOMED CT Browser was used to identify concept and descriptive identifiers. Key implementation challenges were conceptualised through a Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) lens. Results: In total, 32 symptoms, eight demographic and lifestyle features, 25 health conditions, and 20 assessment items relevant to COVID-19 were identified, with proposed corresponding SNOMED CT concepts. These data items can be adapted into a consultation template for COVID-19. Key implementation challenges include: 1) engaging with key stakeholders to achieve ’buy in’; and 2) ensuring any template is usable within practice settings. Conclusion: Consultation templates for COVID-19 are needed to standardise data collection, facilitate research and learning, and potentially improve quality of care for COVID-19.

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https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Cite as

Jani, B., Pell, J., McGagh, D., Liyanage, H., Kelly, D., de Lusignan, S., Weatherburn, C., Burns, R., Sullivan, F. & Mair, F. 2020, 'Recording COVID-19 consultations: review of symptoms, risk factors, and proposed SNOMED CT terms', BJGP Open, 4(4), article no: 20X101125. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen20X101125

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen20X101125

Repository URI: http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/222511/