Costa Rica joins SNOMED International to advance digital health

Costa Rica has become SNOMED International’s newest member as the country pushes ahead with its national digital health strategy and broader interoperability goals. The move brings SNOMED CT into Costa Rica’s health system, starting with a nationwide digital record rollout and an initial cancer-detection site in Cartago.

Why it matters: - Costa Rica’s adoption of SNOMED CT is meant to strengthen semantic interoperability across the country’s health system. - The move is intended to improve diagnostic accuracy, standardize clinical information and support better patient care. - The Ministry of Health will serve as Costa Rica’s National Release Centre for SNOMED CT, giving the government a central role in governance and distribution.

What happened: - SNOMED International welcomed Costa Rica as its latest member on July 28, 2026. - Costa Rica formalized its membership in 2026 after launching its National Digital Health Strategy 2023–2030. - The Ministry of Health created the Directorate for Digital Transformation and Digital Health to lead governance, coordination and implementation of the national digital health roadmap. - Costa Rica is a Central American country with a population of about five million people.

The details: - SNOMED International develops and maintains SNOMED CT, described as the world’s most comprehensive clinical terminology. - Costa Rica joined after exploring SNOMED CT use cases in oncology and pathology. - Ministry of Health officials, along with clinical and technical leaders from the ministry and SNOMED International, held multiple discussions before the membership was finalized. - Site visits to facilities where SNOMED CT will be implemented were part of the process. - Costa Rica’s Social Security Fund began integrating SNOMED CT into its nationwide Unique Digital Health Record system in May 2026. - Initial implementation will start at the National Center for Early Detection of Gastrointestinal Cancer in Cartago. - The Cartago center operates within Dr. Max Peralta Hospital and was established to address the region’s high stomach-cancer incidence, which is among the highest in Latin America. - Costa Rica’s digital health push is aimed at streamlining communication between medical professionals and raising the standard of care nationwide.

Between the lines: - Costa Rica is using SNOMED CT as a foundation for broader health-system modernization, not as a standalone software upgrade. - The early focus on oncology and pathology suggests the country is targeting high-value clinical areas first, where standardized terminology can have immediate operational impact. - Don Sweete, SNOMED International’s CEO, said Costa Rica’s progress shows a clear commitment to connected healthcare and better quality and consistency of health data.

What's next: - Costa Rica will expand SNOMED CT implementation through its national digital health roadmap. - The Ministry of Health will manage SNOMED CT governance, maintenance and distribution nationwide through the National Release Centre. - SNOMED International said it will support Costa Rica as the country advances interoperability and improves health data quality.

The bottom line: - Costa Rica’s SNOMED International membership gives the country a standards-based path to more connected, consistent and clinically useful health records.