International Classifications in Australia

The World Health Organization Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC) includes reference classifications, derived classifications, and related classifications. The reference classifications serve as the global standards for health data, clinical documentation and statistical aggregation. They enable capture of the following health areas: diseases, health problems, body function, body structure, activity, participation and interventions. They include:

• The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD)
• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
• The International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).

The derived classifications are based on the reference classifications to accommodate information needs in specific areas of health. Related classifications cover health domains beyond mortality and morbidity, functioning and health interventions.

These products are used in different ways across different countries, the below sections outline the use of these classifications in Australia.

Reference classifications and their use in Australia

The reference classifications are maintained by the WHO and cover the main areas of health and the health system.

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, 2019 Edition (ICD-10) is currently used in Australia to capture mortality statistics. The ICD-10 covers diseases, health problems, and body structures.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a framework for the conceptualisation, classification and measurement of disability. In Australia, ICF is used as the basis for population surveys and for measuring health and disability. Body function, disability, activity, participation, and environmental factors are all captured by ICF.

The International Classification of Diseases, 11^th Revision (ICD-11) and the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) are not currently used in Australia.

More information on ICD-11 in Australia.

Derived classifications and their use in Australia

There are a number of derived classifications in the WHO-FIC, this section only lists those currently in use in Australia.

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, 10 Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) is derived from ICD-10 and is used to capture morbidity statistics in the admitted patient care setting. ICD-10-AM Twelfth Edition is applicable from 1 July 2022.

The International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3^rd Edition, 2^nd Revision (ICD-O-3.2) is currently used by Australian Cancer Registries to capture the site, morphology, behaviour, and grading of neoplasms.

Related classifications and their use in Australia

These classifications describe important aspects of health or the health system, and not covered by the reference or derived classifications. This section only outlines those currently in use in Australia.

The International Classification of Primary Care, 2^nd edition (ICPC-2) and ICPC-2 PLUS, the latter is primarily used in Australia for electronic health record (EHR) systems in general practices.

The International Classification of External Causes of Injury (ICECI) is used to classify external causes of injury and is currently used in the Australian National Coronial Information System.

The Anatomical, Therapeutic, Chemical classification system with Daily Defined Doses (ATC/DDD System) is currently used in Australia for drug utilisation research.

The AS/NZS ISO 9999:2023 Technical aids for persons with disabilities is identical to ISO 9999:2022, and is used for disability services data collection as it specifies the classification and terminology of assistive products, especially produced or generally available, for persons to optimise functioning and reduce disability.

The International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) has been recommended for use as the standardised national nursing clinical terminology in Australia in alignment with National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Australian classifications and their use in Australia

These classifications are maintained by the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority and are governed by the rules set out in the Australian Coding Standards (ACS) volume of the ICD-10-AM/ACHI/ACS classification system.

The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, 10 Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) is derived from ICD-10 and is used to capture morbidity statistics in the admitted patient care setting. ICD-10-AM Twelfth Edition is applicable from 1 July 2022.

The Australian Classification of Health Interventions, Twelfth Edition (ACHI) is derived from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and is used to classify surgeries, therapies and health interventions.