1. All of the LOINC names are presented in mixed case. We do not encode any meaning in the case of the full LOINC names; they remain case insensitive. We present them as mixed case to increase legibility and compactness.
2. Many laboratory specimen names have been lengthened a bit to increase their recognizability.
3. We have created a multi-axial hierarchy and populated it with all laboratory and radiology LOINC terms-so far. The laboratory part of the hierarchy is organized by LOINC class and within class by component (analyte) and within component by system (Specimen) and super system (things like patient versus fetus or blood product unit). This is one big tree. The radiology section is organized first by system (anatomical region) and then method (modality).
4. We made the LOINC terms explicit parts of the hierarchy. So, now you can get all the way down to the LOINC terms through the hierarchy (see below regarding RELMA features to access these codes).
5. We have created part definitions for about 10% of the LOINC name parts (more of the lab parts). These are directly linked to the parts as they appear in the hierarchy (see description of RELMA tools below). Most of this first generation of definitions comes from Wikipedia and Regenstrief. Plans for capturing definitions from many sources (including internal ones) are afoot.
6. A more complete definition of survey instruments which accepts, maintains, and displays:
1. Panel terms that represent the whole survey instrument
2. Sections and subsection terms to represent nested instruments
3. Help and guidance text for each section and for each discrete question
4. Data types for each question
5. Structured answer lists for categorical questions
6. Mechanisms for managing externally copyright material (a very small percent of LOINC content) within survey instruments. (This is required for CMS mandated survey instruments such as OASIS and MDS). These mechanisms include copyright notices embedded in the record of the LOINC term to which they apply and links to the terms of use.
   

New functions

1. A search for words in the hierarchy (within the hierarchy tabs of the search constraint tabs) returns a sub tree of nodes containing the words searched for-not a flat grid.
2. A hierarchy search can show LOINC terms as well as the nodes that contain them.
3. The hierarchies can be manipulated by fully expanding or collapsing the whole tree, expanding or collapsing selected nodes, and/or by showing or hiding the LOINC terms that are the terminal leaves of the tree. Hiding the LOINC terms makes it easier to see the organization of the tree. In the 'Show LOINCs' mode, LOINC codes will show when a branch is open down to a node that is immediately linked to LOINCs.
4. Within a tree, the last column (if populated) is a link to definitions for nodes and to the full information about a given term or panel of terms. Clicking on details produces an HTML-based display of the respective information. This view contains a few handy features such as increasing/decreasing the display font size. The details screen for a LOINC term and/or panel will present the external copyright notice and terms of use, if any apply.
5. The panel tree has a column that displays the name of any external copyright holder. Clicking on it shows the copy right notice and terms of use, when such special copyrights and terms of use apply.
6. The mapping search can be toggled between the traditional search that returns a flat grid and a new option that returns a sub tree of the multi-axial hierarchy. We believe that this will make it easier to find the term being sought. Both of these mapping searches return exactly the same set of LOINC terms and use the same search algorithm. The search algorithm used on the pure hierarchy search (on the Search Constraints screen) is different and will not show the same LOINC terms. (We will integrate them further in the future).
7. One can select multiple rows in the flat grid and the tree grid on the mapping screen and move them to the buffer (In the past you could only pick one at a time).You use the traditional Windows key strokes (CTRL-C, CTRL-V) to accomplish this.
8.  Mouse over of the property column shows the full spelling of the property. E.g. MCnc reveals mass concentration.