UMLS users and uses: a current overview. (19th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Amos, Liz; Anderson, David; Brody, Stacy; Ripple, Anna; Humphreys, Betsy L
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Volume 27:Number 10(2020)
• Page Start: 1606
• Page End: 1611
• Publication Date: 2020-07-19
• Subjects: Unified Medical Language System -- terminology (as topic) -- National Library of Medicine (US) -- surveys and questionnaires -- scoping review; Medical informatics -- Periodicals; Information Services -- Periodicals; Medical Informatics -- Periodicals; Médecine -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Informatica; Geneeskunde; Informatique médicale; Computer network resources; Electronic journals; 610.285
• DOI: 10.1093/jamia/ocaa084
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1067-5027

Abstract

Abstract: The US National Library of Medicine regularly collects summary data on direct use of Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) resources. The summary data sources include UMLS user registration data, required annual reports submitted by registered users, and statistics on downloads and application programming interface calls. In 2019, the National Library of Medicine analyzed the summary data on 2018 UMLS use. The library also conducted a scoping review of the literature to provide additional intelligence about the research uses of UMLS as input to a planned 2020 review of UMLS production methods and priorities. 5043 direct users of UMLS data and tools downloaded 4402 copies of the UMLS resources and issued 66 130 951 UMLS application programming interface requests in 2018. The annual reports and the scoping review results agree that the primary UMLS uses are to process and interpret text and facilitate mapping or linking between terminologies. These uses align with the original stated purpose of the UMLS.