The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Electronic Health Record Task Force (EHRTF) initially produced the AAHA Problem and Diagnosis Terms (a list of terms for incorporation into veterinary hospital information systems) to facilitate recording and analysis of patient medical records, as a subset of SNOMED CT and the Veterinary Extension of SNOMED CT. The AAHA PDT was designed to be used in general small animal practice.
In 2017 Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners took on the challenge of funding the development of a list of terms to record small animal specialty practice patient diagnoses. BluePearl Veterinary Partners recognized the value of incorporating an external standard like SNOMED CT® and wanted to support the furtherance of terminology standardization across the veteirnary medical field. They found that while the American Animal Hospital Association's Problem and Diagnosis Terms (AAHA PDT) covered much of their emergency and specialty practice needs, there was a gap in coverage that needed to be filled. They then committed to funding the creation of a subset of SNOMED CT® and the Veterinary Extension of SNOMED CT® (VetSCT) that would seamlessly integrate with the AAHA PDT and provide the needed coverage for their cardiology, dermatology, ophthomology and dental specialty practices. The scope of the SAS PDT covered problems and diagnoses needed by veterinary specialists in small animal practice, outside of the scope of the general small animal practice.
When AAHA decided to end their financial support of the AAHA PDT, VTS decided to follow the requests of users for a single subset that supported all of small animal practice. This Small Animal Problem and Diagnosis Terms subset is the consolidation of both the AAHA PDT and the SAS PDT. It will support all content relevant to small animal practice, inclusive of general, specialty and emergency practice going forward.
