Unified Medical Language System (UMLS)

The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) is a comprehensive tool created by the U.S. National Library of Medicine that helps different healthcare systems and professionals communicate effectively. It combines various medical vocabularies, terminologies, and concepts into a single, unified framework. This allows for consistent identification and exchange of medical information, improving accuracy in diagnosis, research, and patient care. Essentially, UMLS acts as a bridge, enabling computers and healthcare providers to understand and interpret medical terms and data from different sources seamlessly.