This documentation entry discusses the Accessory File known as the Group File. For an example of how LOINC Groups are constructed, see Section 9 of the Users’ Guide.
LOINC Groups have a BETA maturity level. We do not have yet a schedule for promoting Groups to a production status. The groupings MUST be validated by users prior to implementation in any aspect of clinical care.
GroupLoincTerms.csv
This file contains the association of a GroupId with its constituent LOINC terms. Also included, when assigned, is the Archetype LOINC term for the Group and a high-level Category for the Group.
Group categories
Assignment to a Group category is not required. The following are the categories as of LOINC version 2.83, not including NULL:
- Document groups
- Drugs of abuse
- Exercise
- Eye microbiology
- Flowsheet – laboratory
- Flowsheet – vital signs
- Flowsheet – weight, height, and head circumference
- Genitourinary microbiology
- Mass-Molar conversion
- Obstetrics
- Radiology
- Reportable microbiology
- Respiratory microbiology
- Smoking – biochemical markers
- Smoking – history
- Social determinants of health (SDOH)
Group.csv
This file lists all available LOINC Group values along with a Parent Group identifier, Group Name, Archetype, Status, and Version of First Release. As LOINC Groups are considered BETA maturity, this final column is empty and will only be populated once promoted to production.
ParentGroup.csv
This file contains all the top-level Parent Groups which have been defined along with their status, e.g., ACTIVE.
GroupAttributes.csv
This file details extra information about a specific LOINC Group. As of LOINC version 2.83, these fall into two types: Usage Notes and Molecular Weight.
ParentGroupAttributes.csv
Similar to GroupAttributes.csv this file contains extra information for Parent Groups. As of LOINC version 2.83, only one type of attribute is present, a description or means of collection for the Parent Group.