Tasks

To advise on the use and further development of LOINC within the framework of Section 355 (7) of the Fifth Social Code (SGB V), a working group (AG) was set up in 2021 by the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) at the Advisory Board for Questions of Classification in Health Care (KKG), in which the relevant professional groups are represented. The LOINC WG advises the BMG and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), which is subordinate to the BMG, on the development, maintenance and further development of LOINC for the German healthcare system. This includes in particular:

• the coordination of changes resulting from national and international issues,
• contributions to the translation of LOINC into German,
• the development of a Germany-specific extension of LOINC,
• the development of application aids for LOINC, and
• the preparation of the German position for the European and international committees on the further development and application of LOINC.

The BfArM is the office for the administrative preparation and implementation of the meetings of the AG LOINC of the KKG.

Members

The following organisations are voting members of the AG LOINC of the KKG:

• German Medical Association (BÄK),
• Federal Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV),
• Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF),
• National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband),
• Association of Private Health Insurers (PKV-Verband),
• Accident insurance institutions,
• German Pension Insurance Association (DRV Bund),
• German Hospital Federation (DKG).

Due to the special issues involved, the following organisations are permanent guests of the LOINC working group of the KKG:

• Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System (InEK),
• Institute for Quality Assurance and Transparency in Health Care (IQTIG),
• Professional Association of German Laboratory Physicians (BDL),
• ALM e.V. - Accredited Laboratories in Medicine,
• Association of IT Manufacturers in the Health Care Sector (bvitg),
• Robert Koch Institute (RKI),
• gematik GmbH,
• Spitzenverband IT-Standards im Gesundheitswesen (SITiG),
• other experts to be consulted on a case-by-case basis as proposed by the LOINC working group.

Documents for the meetings

The meetings of the AG LOINC of the KKG take place at least once a year.
The minutes of the meetings are published here after adoption by the AG LOINC.