What are the best practices for managing documentation revisions and updates in the medical sector using DITA?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Managing documentation revisions and updates in the medical sector using DITA is crucial to ensure that healthcare professionals have access to the most current and accurate information. DITA provides a structured framework that supports best practices for version control, review processes, and tracking changes in medical documents.

1. Version Control: DITA allows medical organizations to maintain version control of their documents with ease. Each document is divided into topics, and when updates are required, only the relevant topic is revised. This ensures that changes can be tracked at a granular level, and it simplifies the process of maintaining different document versions.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA facilitates version control:

<!-- Example: DITA Topic Versioning -->
<topic id="medical-procedure">
  <title>Medical Procedure</title>
  <body>
    <section id="procedure-overview">
      <title>Procedure Overview</title>
      <p>...

    </section>
    <section id="procedure-steps" rev="1.1">
      <title>Procedure Steps</title>
      <p>...

    </section>
  </body>

In this example, version control is managed using the “rev” attribute. When updates are made, the attribute is incremented, ensuring that the latest version is easily identifiable.

2. Review Processes: DITA supports efficient review processes. Authors, subject matter experts, and reviewers can collaborate on specific topics, ensuring that revisions are targeted and accurate. This collaborative approach enhances the quality of medical documentation.

3. Tracking Changes: DITA also allows organizations to track changes in documents using built-in features. This ensures transparency in the revision process, making it easy to identify who made specific changes and when those changes occurred.

By following these best practices, medical organizations can effectively manage documentation revisions and updates in the healthcare sector, providing healthcare professionals with the most up-to-date information they need.