What is the Omaha System?

The Omaha System is a research-based, comprehensive practice and documentation standardized taxonomy designed to describe client care. The Omaha System is summarized in the Overview, and includes an assessment component (Problem Classification Scheme), a care plan/services component (Intervention Scheme), and an evaluation component (Problem Rating Scale for Outcomes).

Users

Users are increasingly diverse, and represent the continuum of care in practice, education, research, and community settings. In 2014, we estimated that more than 22,000 individuals used the Omaha System in the United States and around the world. Since then, the number and diversity increased to the extent that it is not possible to estimate the number of users. (See description of Omaha System users.) The number and type of software developers who offer computerized versions of the Omaha System continue to grow.

Book and Case Studies

For details about the Omaha System, see Martin KS. (2005). The Omaha System: A Key to Practice, Documentation, and Information Management (Reprinted 2nd ed.). Omaha, NE: Health Connections Press. List price is $59.95; to purchase directly from the author click here. Included in the book are descriptions of use in practice, education, and research settings; a User’s Guide; references; research; and 18 case studies. This Website summarizes the Omaha System and includes 9 additional case studies. Case studies are an invaluable tool when learning to use the Omaha System, for refreshing skills, and for evaluating interrater reliability among users.

Copyright

The Omaha System terms, definitions, and codes have existed in the public domain since 1975. Therefore the terms, definitions, and codes as they appear in Appendices A and E are not held under copyright. They are available for use without permission from the publisher or the developers, and without a licensing fee. However, the terms and structure must be used as published and accompanied by a reliable source (2005 book or Website). Other sections of the book are held under copyright by Health Connections Press. Software developers and others should refer to the book and contact Health Connections Press.

Recognition/Electronic Health Records

The American Nurses Association recognized the Omaha System as a standardized terminology to support nursing practice in 1992. In 2014, Minnesota became the first state to recommend ANA-recognized point-of-care terminologies be used in all Electronic Health Records (EHRs). The evidence underlying this decision was a survey that showed that the Omaha System was used in 96.5% of Minnesota counties. The Omaha System became a member of the Alliance for Nursing Informatics in 2009. It meets US Department of Health and Human Services interoperability standards for EHRs, having passed the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) Tier 2 criteria for Use Cases in 2007. Additionally, it is integrated into the National Library of Medicine’s Metathesaurus; CINAHL; and Logical Observation Identifiers, Names, and Codes (LOINC®). It is mapped to SNOMED CT®. It is a recognized code system within Health Level Seven (HL7®), and is congruent with the reference terminology model for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).