ICDjärjestelmästä

ICD-järjestelmä, or the International Classification of Diseases, is a globally used medical classification system developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). It serves as a standardized tool for diagnosing, monitoring, and reporting diseases and other health conditions. The ICD system is periodically updated to reflect advancements in medical knowledge and to accommodate changes in disease patterns and health care practices.

The current version of the ICD system is ICD-10, which was adopted in 1994. It is organized into 21 chapters, each covering a broad category of health conditions. These chapters include infectious and parasitic diseases, neoplasms, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs, and mental and behavioral disorders, among others. Each chapter is further divided into categories, subcategories, and specific diagnostic codes.

ICD-10 codes are alphanumeric and consist of three to seven characters. The first character indicates the chapter, and the subsequent characters provide more detailed information about the condition. For example, the code A00.0 refers to cholera due to Vibrio cholerae 01, biovar cholerae. The ICD system also includes codes for external causes of injury and poisoning, factors influencing health status and contact with health services, and codes for special purposes.

The ICD system is widely used in healthcare settings, research, and public health surveillance. It facilitates the comparison of health data across different countries and regions, enabling international collaboration and the identification of global health trends. The WHO also provides guidelines for the use of the ICD system, ensuring consistency and accuracy in its application.

The development of the ICD system is an ongoing process, with the WHO continually reviewing and updating the classification to keep pace with medical advancements and changing health needs. The next version of the ICD system, ICD-11, is currently under development and is expected to be adopted in the future. ICD-11 aims to improve the classification's structure, clarity, and relevance, while also incorporating new medical knowledge and addressing emerging health challenges.