Gálapagos: computer-based support for evolution of a convergent medical terminology.

Current controlled medical terminologies fall short of the needs of informatics application developers. To overcome the limitations of current medical terminologies, many groups are independently enhancing existing terminologies to meet their local needs. With proper computer-based support, local enhancements can be used as evolutionary stepping stones toward a convergent medical terminology. Gálapagos is a collection of applications that can take local enhancements from multiple sites, identify conflicting design decisions, allow developers to reconcile the conflicting designs, and efficiently disseminate updates tailored specifically for compatibility with locally enhanced terminologies. This paper describes an initial proof-of-concept of the Gálapagos programs using data generated during concurrent SNOMED enhancement by Kaiser Permanente and the Mayo Clinic.