Traditional Medicine in ICD-11

Why in News?

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) was recently updated to integrate traditional medicine systems of healthcare practices related to Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.

What is International Classification of Diseases (ICD)?

• International Classification of Diseases (ICD) – Serves as the cornerstone of global health data, providing a standardized language for classifying diseases, injuries, and causes of death. 
• Foundation of Global Health Data – For over a century, the ICD has been instrumental in tracking health trends, informing public health policies, and facilitating research.
• It enables comparisons of mortality and morbidity data across countries and time, providing crucial insights into disease burden and healthcare needs.
• Latest version – ICD-11.

What is Key Features and Advancements in ICD-11?

• Adopted by – The World Health Assembly in 2019 and effective since 2022, represents a significant leap forward.
• It is more comprehensive, digitally adaptable and incorporates contemporary medical knowledge.
• Enhanced Interoperability – ICD-11 seamlessly integrates with other health information systems and standards like Orphanet and MedDRA, facilitating data exchange and analysis.
• The 2025 update enhances this with FHIR API integration and advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP), enabling real-time data exchange and improved accuracy.

FHIR stands for Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources. It is a standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically.

It's designed to be easier to implement than some older standards, using modern web-based technologies.

• Improved Accuracy and Ease of Use – Features like enhanced spelling correction and language variation recognition minimize errors in data entry.
• This, coupled with a user-friendly design, makes ICD-11 more accessible and efficient for healthcare professionals.
• Multilingual Expansion – Available in 14 languages with ongoing expansion, ICD-11 promotes global accessibility and inclusivity.
• Digital Integration – ICD-11 is designed for the digital age, offering online and offline access, APIs, and tools that enhance data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• This digital focus is crucial for leveraging AI and advanced analytics in healthcare.
• Conceptual Framework – ICD-11's framework is independent of language and culture, ensuring its applicability across diverse populations and healthcare settings.

What are the significance of integrating Traditional Medicine with ICD 11?

• Traditional medicine – One of the most ground-breaking aspects of the ICD-11, particularly highlighted in the 2025 update, is the inclusion of a module for traditional medicine conditions.
• This module specifically addresses Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, recognizing their significant role in healthcare, especially in certain regions.
• Policy Development – Supports evidence-based policymaking for integrating traditional medicine into national health systems
• Guides insurance coverage decisions for traditional treatments.
• Global Recognition – This inclusion marks a pivotal moment for traditional medicine, elevating its status in global health reporting, research and policymaking.
• It facilitates the systematic tracking of traditional medicine services, enabling evidence-based policymaking and resource allocation.
• Quality and Safety – Standardizes terminology for better quality monitoring.
• Improves safety through systematic documentation.
• Dual Coding – The module allows for dual coding, where both traditional and conventional diagnoses can be recorded.
• This comprehensive approach provides a more holistic understanding of patient health and facilitates research into the effectiveness of traditional practices.
• Data Collection and Research – By providing standardized terminology, the module enhances data collection on the use and outcomes of traditional medicine by:
  • Paving the way for rigorous research and evidence-based integration into healthcare systems.
• Cultural Sensitivity – Recognizing and incorporating traditional medicine reflects a growing understanding of the importance of culturally sensitive and holistic healthcare approaches.
• Economic Impact – Creates framework for insurance coverage of traditional treatments.
• Supports development of traditional medicine industry.
• Patient Care Enhancement – Enables comprehensive patient records across different medical systems.
• Supports informed decision-making in treatment choices.

What are its Implications for Global Health?

• Improved Data Quality – Enhanced accuracy and interoperability lead to better data quality, which is essential for informed decision-making in public health.
• Strengthened Health Systems – By facilitating efficient data management and analysis, ICD-11 contributes to strengthening health systems at national and global levels.
• Enhanced Research – The standardized framework enables large-scale research, including comparative studies of different treatment approaches, both conventional and traditional.
• Universal Health Coverage – The inclusion of traditional medicine supports the WHO's goal of universal health coverage by recognizing the diverse healthcare needs of populations and promoting integrated healthcare approaches.
• Progress towards SDGs – ICD-11 contributes to achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals by providing the data and tools necessary to monitor progress and address health inequalities.

What are the Challenges?

• Implementation – Effective implementation requires training healthcare professionals, updating health information systems and ensuring data quality.
• Data Analysis – Leveraging the vast amount of data generated by ICD-11 requires robust analytical capabilities and infrastructure.
• Ongoing Updates – The dynamic nature of medical science necessitates continuous updates and revisions to ICD-11 to reflect new discoveries and evolving understanding of diseases.

References

1. PIB – ICD-11
2. WHO – ICD-11