Most diagnoses in the UK are based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), published by the World Health Organization, which is up for revision in 2015.

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Right now hospital coders use a standard called the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems to classify patients and get reimbursed properly for their care.

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Mr Macniven also said that coding of the causes of death was being updated to take account of changes to the World Health Organisation's international classification of diseases and related health problems.

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