# Ontology Standard for Archtypes

**Category:** [Technical (archive)](https://discourse.openehr.org/c/technical-archive/156)
**Created:** 2003-01-08 22:44 UTC
**Views:** 1
**Replies:** 2
**URL:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/ontology-standard-for-archtypes/15704

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## Post #1 by @Matias_Klein

Hello All,

I was just looking over W3C's Ontology Web Language \(OWL\), and was
wondering if anyone had thoughts on the subject as it related to
openEHR\.

Should openEHR archetypes be modeled using OWL or another "standard"
syntax?

If openEHR archtypes are compatible with a standardized ontology
description language, then generic ontology viewing and manipulation
tools could be used on them\.

Perhaps the alternative of converting openEHR archetypes into OWL
representations with XSLT and then using generic tools is preferable?

Any ideas?

\-Matias

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## Post #2 by @Sam

Matias

I have developed an ontology of archetypes in Protege \- it has been a large
endeavour and I think is starting to get there\.

I am happy to send this to you to have a look at\. I believe OWL and Protege
are merging their approaches\.

Cheers, Sam

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## Post #3 by @thomas.beale

We are looking at OWL, which is being used by Mayo clinic to represent HL7 templates\. However, we are not yet convinced that all the semantics are there for archetypes\. Our current work is to discover the semantic requirements for a shared archetype language\. The beginnings of a paper on this are at http://www.deepthought.com.au/health/archetypes/archetype_language.doc.
In any case, we need a shared formalism that is readable by humans\. OWL in raw XML form is not this \- I would guess it needs to be viewed through a tool\.

\- thomas beale

Sam Heard wrote:

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**Canonical:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/ontology-standard-for-archtypes/15704
**Original content:** https://discourse.openehr.org/t/ontology-standard-for-archtypes/15704