ICF: representing the patient beyond a medical classification of diagnoses.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a component essential to ensuring the collection of accurate and complete healthcare data that correctly reflect the care provided to individuals. In fact, many countries outside of the United States have found uses for ICF. While research continues in the United States on the potential value of implementing ICF, deliberations are establishing the need to implement ICF to develop knowledge about the physical, mental, and social functioning of patients. In the course of these deliberations, issues related to current data collection activities, the use of ICF in an electronic health record (EHR) system, training requirements, and terminology maps are beginning to emerge.