LOINC, acronym of Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes, is an international standard for coding and describing clinical and laboratory observations. LOINC is a lingua franca that allows you to read and interpret data from different operating systems, uniquely identifying exams that, although having the same name, test different things and, vice versa, aggregating under the same code tests that are identical, but apparently different because of the strong idiosyncrasy of the names used at local level. The aim of the system is to codify the observation itself and not the value it can take, therefore, if we consider observation as a question (for example, what is the patient’s hemoglobin level X?) and the resulting value as an answer, LOINC provides the codes for the question (for example, 718-7:Hemoglobin:MCnc:Pt:Blood:Qn).
Within a laboratory terms belonging to a local jargon can be used, they are usually well understood among colleagues, but not sufficiently known to be used to communicate with the outside world (U. Forsum et al.).
The high level of detail of LOINC allows precise and unambiguous transmission of laboratory data, making the results comprehensible, and therefore reusable, for the different care providers and thus avoiding the duplication of tests and examinations, which is time-consuming and expensive, especially in situations where having accurate, clear and complete data is a key factor for the patient’s health.