This European Standard specifies a procedure for the registration of coding systems used in health for any purpose. It also specifies the allocation of a unique Health Coding System Designator to each registered coding system. A code value can thus be given an unambiguous meaning by association with a HCD.
The method by which a HCD and a code value are associated is not defined by this European Standard. The association is achieved in any manner appropriate to the syntax used.
This European Standard does not specify the coding systems to be used in health, give guidance on their selection nor describe methods of representing information in coded form.
Coding systems maintained by different Responsible Organisations may also be used in combinations. Such combinations can be considered as templates, and as such they lie outside the scope of the current document.