Developing a national integrated classification of health care interventions in Sweden

Existing classifications in Sweden of health care interventions used for quality assurance issues and for decisions on resource allocation does not capture all types of health care interventions. The work of professional groups like nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists is partly invisible. There is a need to develop a classification of health care interventions that comprise all activity within the health care sector.

To describe a multi-professional collaborative work on classification development and to provide suggestions for an organizing structure that can capture interventions in the health care services incorporating different professional perspectives.

The professional groups reached a common understanding about the use of the classification of The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a unifying framework in the classification of health care interventions. Proposal was made for a revised structure of a current classification of interventions using ICD as unifying framework.

The use of ICF as a unifying framework is seen as a fruitful way of overcoming professional differences, and by that supporting the process of reaching a common understanding and use of a common language when describing interventions in health care.