Last update:
07-Dec-2015

In March 2013, the Health Procurement Committee of the Greek Ministry of Health appointed a committee consisting of laboratory scientists to compile a list of laboratory tests performed on biological fluids, cells and tissues. This committee compiled a list entitled Catalog of Uniform Nomenclature and Coding of Laboratory Tests (CUNCLT), using as its basis the list of reagents of the European Diagnostics Manufacturers Association (EDMA). The CUNCLT refers to the nomenclature of the laboratory tests and does not include all the materials (reagents, consumables, solutions, calibrators, controls, equipment, etc.) and software that may be necessary for performing the tests. The CUNCLT categorizes the laboratory tests that are performed on biological fluids, cells and tissues into eight main categories, each including subcategories of the 1st and 2nd levels. The eight main categories of the CUNCLT, namely Clinical Chemistry-Biochemistry, Immunochemistry, Hematology, Microbiology (cultures), Infectious Immunology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Pathology-Cytology, Immunology, generally correspond to the categories of clinical laboratories that operate in public hospitals. The CUNCLT includes a total of 2,403 tests and according to its creation rationale, it is imperative that this list is regularly updated. CUNCLT is an important effort at the recording and classification of the laboratory tests carried out in clinical laboratories on biological fluids, cells and tissues. This list could be the basis for introducing the coding of laboratory tests in the laboratory information systems of public hospitals, for matching with the codes of laboratory tests prescribed by the National Organization for Health Care Services (EOPYY) and for specifications for the purchase of the reagents for laboratory testing.

Key words: Laboratory medicine, Laboratory tests, Medical information coding.