For updates to this announcement, visit loinc.org/monthly.
Dear LOINC Community,
For over three decades, LOINC has served as the global cornerstone for health data interoperability because of the dedication, expertise, and feedback of this incredible community. As the pace of clinical innovation accelerates and the demand for real-time data exchange grows, we recognize that our internal processes must also evolve to better align with your needs.
Today, we are pleased to announce a significant shift in how we deliver updates to you.
Moving from biannual to monthly releases
Historically, LOINC has operated on a twice-yearly release schedule. While this cadence provides predictability, we understand that six months is a long time to wait for the critical LOINC codes and updates required to support modern healthcare delivery and research.
To increase our agility and provide you with more timely access to new content, we are moving to a monthly release cadence.
By transitioning to monthly updates, we aim to:
- Reduce wait times: Get new content into your systems faster.
- Improve responsiveness: Address revisions in a more timely manner.
- Enable incremental implementation: Allow your change management teams to manage smaller, more frequent updates rather than large, biannual overhauls.
Important schedule details
We are targeting March 2027 for the launch of this new monthly cycle.
When we transition to a monthly release cycle, we will not publish a release each December and may identify additional months to skip as needed. Schedule changes will be communicated well in advance. Additionally, pilot activities will begin in August; however, we will still proceed with our regular scheduled releases in August 2026 and February 2027.
What this means for you
While our delivery frequency is changing, our commitment to quality remains steadfast. Each monthly release will undergo the same rigorous validation and curation process you have come to expect from LOINC.
We recommend that your change management teams review your internal update workflows to accommodate this more frequent stream of data. Detailed technical documentation and updated release calendars will be made available on our website as we approach the launch date.
Looking ahead
This change is more than just a schedule adjustment; it is a commitment to keeping pace with the speed of global health. We are incredibly grateful for your continued partnership as we work together to make health data more portable and powerful.
We welcome your questions and feedback as we transition to this new chapter. We will also be compiling a FAQ to help address common questions.
Sincerely,
Majorie Rallins, DPM, MS
Executive Director, Health Data Standards
Regenstrief Institute