Classification-Schedules

Classification 2025 Winter Edition

Worldwide source of medical classification resources

W

General Medicine. Health Professions

Schedule Contents

Reference Works. General Works Law. Ethics. Professional-Patient Relations Access to Health Information and Health Care. Medical Economics Biomedical Technology Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy Professional Practice Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Service Plans Social Welfare through Medicine Forensic Sciences Reference Works. General Works Forensic Examination Disability Evaluation. Compensation

Note: Even though form numbers W 1–W 9 are displayed online with a space in between, do not input a space when recording these numbers in a bibliographic record.

Reference Works. General Works

W 1

Serials. Periodicals
(Serials and serial analytics only)

W 2

Serial documents (Table-G)
(Serials and serial analytics only)

Classify here government administrative reports and statistics, including administrative reports and statistics on several hospitals under governmental administration. Cf. WX 2 Hospital administrative reports and statistics.

W 3

Congresses
(Serials and serial analytics only)

As of July 1, 1988, NLM no longer assigns W3 to newly acquired publications, with the exception of analytics to ongoing serial publications already classified in W3.

W 3.5

Directories of congresses
(Monographs and Serials)

As of July 1, 1988, NLM no longer assigns W 3.5 or ZW 3 to newly acquired publications.

W 4

Dissertations on clinical research by university
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify other topics and reproductions by subject. NLM does not use W4 for current materials.

W 4A

American dissertations on clinical research, by author
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify other topics and reproductions by subject; classify dissertations which qualify as Americana in WZ 270. NLM does not use W 4A for current materials.

W 5

Collections by several authors

W 6

Collected pamphlet volumes. Miscellaneous reprint volumes

W 7

Collected works by individual authors

W 9

Addresses. Essays. Lectures

W 10

Travels (including expeditions and voyages)

Classify works on travel medicine at WA 108.

[W 11]

[This number not used]

History of a specific topic is classed with the topic. Classify the history of medical practice or services in general in WZ. Classify the history of forensic sciences in W 611.

W 13

Dictionaries. Encyclopedias
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify material on medical shorthand here if it is the primary subject of book.

W 15

Terminology
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify works on classification of disease and on disease eponyms in WB 15.

W 16

Tables. Statistics (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify serial government administrative reports and statistics in W2. Classify health care surveys in W 84.3.

W 16.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 17

Atlases. Pictorial works

W 18

Education

Classify here works about education and the history of medical education. For education in the history of medicine, see WZ 18.

W 18.2

Educational materials
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify here educational materials, e.g., outlines, questions and answers, programmed instruction, computer-assisted instruction, etc., regardless of format. Classify textbooks, regardless of format, by subject.

W 19

Schools and colleges (General or not elsewhere classified) (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

Include here works on the history of schools. For schools of individual specialties, see appropriate schedule.

W 19.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 19.5

School catalogs, announcements, etc. (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify here works of all schools including schools of dentistry and nursing. Also include here catalogs and announcements from other institutions that offer educational opportunities.

W 20

Graduate and continuing medical education (including fellowships, internships, residencies, etc.)

W 20.5

Biomedical research (General)

Classify here material on the various aspects and accomplishments of medical research. Classify works on research limited to a particular subject with the subject.

W 20.55

Special topics, A-Z

W 20.55.A5

Animal experimentation. Animal testing alternatives

W 20.55.A9

Autoexperimentation

W 20.55.C5

Clinical trials

W 20.55.E7

Ethics in research

W 20.55.F4

Fetal research

W 20.55.H9

Human experimentation. Research subjects

W 20.55.T7

Translational biomedical research

W 20.9

Fraternities (Cutter from name of fraternity)

W 21

Medicine or biomedical research as a profession. Peer review

Classify here works about medical careers. Classify those about other specific careers with the specialty, e.g., those about nursing in WY 16. Classify works on the specialties in general in W 87.

W 21.5

Allied health personnel. Allied health occupations

Classify here works about supply and distribution as well as those about careers. Classify works on specific personnel in more specific number when available, e.g., those on nurses aides in WY 193. Classify works on health manpower including physicians in W 76.

W 22

Directories (Table-G)

W 22.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 23

Collective laboratories, academies, institutes, etc.

Classify here works on research laboratories in general. Classify works on clinical laboratories in general in QY 23-24. Classify works on specific types of laboratories in the appropriate schedule, e.g., hospital laboratories in WX 207.

W 24

Individual laboratories, academies, institutes, etc. (Cutter from name of institution)

W 26

Equipment and supplies
(Monographs and Serials)

Classify here medical and surgical supply and instrument catalogs as well as catalogs of special equipment, e.g., tables and chairs in doctors' waiting rooms. Include works on history of instruments in general.

W 26.5

Medical informatics. Computing methodologies

Classify works on use for special subjects by subject.

W 26.55

Special topics, A-Z

W 26.55.A7

Artificial intelligence

W 26.55.A9

Electronic data processing

W 26.55.C6

Computer simulation

W 26.55.C7

Computer systems. Computer security

W 26.55.D2

Decision making, Computer-assisted

Classify works on computer-assisted diagnosis (general) in WB 141; on computer-assisted therapy (general) in WB 300.

W 26.55.D4

Digital technology

W 26.55.I3

Information management

W 26.55.I4

Information systems. Information storage and retrieval

W 26.55.S6

Software

[W 26.55.V6]

[This number not used]

Classify works on virtual reality in W 26.55.C6.

W 27

Collective museums, exhibitions, etc.

W 28

Individual museums, exhibitions, etc. (Cutter from name of institution or exhibit) (Table-G)

Law. Ethics. Professional-Patient Relations

W 32

Laws (General) (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 32.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 32.5

Discussion of law. Medical jurisprudence (General) (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

Include here works on legal advice, court decisions and opinions, legal rights and obligations. Cf. W 700, etc., Forensic medicine.

W 32.6

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 33

Laws and discussion of laws governing medical practice (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 33.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

[W 39]

[This number not used]

Classify handbooks for the health professions in W 49.

W 40

Licensure (Table-G)

W 40.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 44

Malpractice (Table-G)

W 44.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 49

Handbooks. Resource guides
(Monographs and Serials)

W 50

Medical ethics

Classify clinical ethics in WB 60.

W 58

Advertising

W 61

Medical philosophy and logic

W 62

Health professionals' interpersonal relations. Attitude (General)

Classify here works on relations with patients and other professionals. Classify works on the interpersonal relations of allied health personnel in W 21.5. Classify works on interpersonal relations within a particular specialty in the appropriate number in that schedule.

W 64

Referral and consultation (General)

Classify here works on referral, etc., initiated by the physician. Classify works on particular medical problems by subject; works on problems referred by specialists with the specialty.

Access to Health Information and Health Care. Medical Economics

W 67

Health services accessibility (Table-G)

W 67.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 68

Right to health (Table-G)

W 68.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 70

Health information

W 74

Medical economics. Health care costs (General) (Table-G)

Cf. W 50 for economic aspects of medical ethics.

W 74.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 76

Health workforce and services, distribution and characteristics (Table-G)

Classify works limited to allied health workforce in W 21.5.

W 76.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 79

Income of physicians

W 80

Practice management (including business administration)

Classify here medical secretaries' handbooks.

W 81

Medical tourism

Biomedical Technology

W 82

Biomedical technology (General)

W 83

Telemedicine (General) (Table-G)

W 83.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

Health Services. Patients and Patient Advocacy

W 84

Health services. Delivery of health care (General) (Table-G)

Classify works on public health administration in appropriate WA number.

W 84.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 84.3

Research (General)

W 84.4

Quality of health care (General) (Table-G)

Classify works on quality of health care relating only to private practice in WB 50.

W 84.41

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 84.5

Comprehensive health care. Community medicine. Culturally competent care

Cf. WA 546 Community health service.

W 84.6

Primary health care (General) (Table-G)

W 84.61

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 84.7

Patient care planning. Progressive health care (General)

Classify works on care of hospital patients in WX 162.

W 84.8

Patient care team

Classify works on hospital teams in WX 162.5.

W 85

Patients. Attitude and compliance

Classify works on attitude toward particular subject with the subject, e.g., toward hospitals, WX 158.5.

W 85.2

Patient satisfaction

W 85.4

Patient rights. Advocacy

W 85.5

Right to die. Advance directives. Living wills

Cf. WB 310 Hospice care. Terminal care.

W 86

Health care fraud. Health services misuse

Classify works on Medicare fraud in WT 31.5; classify works on Medicaid fraud in W 250.

Professional Practice

W 87

Professional practice

Cf. W 21 Medicine as a profession. Include here general works about types of practice in medicine and allied fields. Classify works on specific medical specialties or allied fields by subject, e.g., on surgery in WO 21; on nursing in WY 101-145, etc.

W 88

Administrative work. Teaching. Research

Classify here works about planning for administrative, teaching, or research careers. Classify works on practice management in W 80, etc.; on education and how to teach in W 18, etc.; on research itself in W 20.5, etc.

W 89

General or family practice (As a specialty). Private practice

Classify works for general practitioner or family doctor in WB 110.

W 90

Specialization (General)

Classify works on a particular specialty with the specialty.

W 92

Group practice. Partnership practice

[W 94]

[This number not used]

W 96

Institutional practice

Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Service Plans

Classify works on Medicare and medical care plans for the aged in WT 31.

W 100

General works

Cf. W 275 General service plans by country.

W 125

Voluntary pre-payment plans (General or not elsewhere classified) (Table-G)

W 125.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 130

Managed care plans (General or not elsewhere classified) (Table-G)

W 130.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 132

Health maintenance organizations (Table-G)

W 132.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 160

Hospitalization insurance. Major medical insurance. Long-term care insurance. Medigap insurance (Table-G)

W 160.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 185

Compulsory pre-payment plans (not a function of the state) (General or not elsewhere classified) (Table-G)

W 185.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 225

Medicine as function of the state (Table-G)

Classify here material on health protection for everyone as a function of the state, supported by taxation, with medical services subject to regulation by the state.

W 225.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 250

Medical care for low-income, uninsured and indigent groups. Medicaid (Table-G)

W 250.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 255

Nursing insurance

W 260

Dental insurance. State dentistry (Table-G)

W 260.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 265

Pharmaceutical insurance (Table-G)

W 265.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 270

Psychiatric insurance (Table-G)

W 270.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 273

Vision insurance (Table-G)

W 273.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 275

General service plans, by country (Table-G)

Cf. W 100 General works, not subdivided by country. Classify works on specific types of insurance with the insurance.

W 322

Medical social work

Include works on social service in hospitals here. Cf. WM 30.5 Psychiatric social work.

W 323

Missions. Missionaries

Classify biographical or autobiographical works of medical missionary doctors and nurses in WZ 100.

W 600

Medical jurisprudence

Use this number for 19th Century materials only. NLM does not use W 600 for current materials.

Forensic Sciences Reference Works. General Works

W 601

Organizations. Societies (General or not elsewhere classified) (Cutter from name of organization or society) (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

Includes membership lists and administrative reports issued serially or separately. Classify directories in W 622. Classify other serials issued by societies in W1. For academies and institutes, see W 623-624.

W 605

Collected works by several authors

W 607

Collected works by individual authors

W 609

Addresses. Essays. Lectures

W 611

History (Table-G)

W 611.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)

W 613

Dictionaries. Encyclopedias
(Monographs and Serials)

W 615

Classification. Terminology
(Monographs and Serials)

W 616

Tables. Statistics. Surveys (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 616.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 617

Atlases. Pictorial works

Classify here atlases and pictorial works on any phase of forensic medicine, etc.

W 618

Education

Classify here works about education.

W 618.2

Educational materials
(Monographs and Serials)

W 622

Directories (Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 622.1

General coverage (Not Table-G)
(Monographs and Serials)

W 623

Collective laboratories, academies, institutes, etc.

W 624

Individual laboratories, academies, institutes, etc. (Cutter from name of institution)

W 625

Laboratory manuals. Technique

W 626

Equipment and supplies

Classify catalogs in W 26.

W 626.5

Informatics. Electronic data processing. Computers (General)

Classify works on use for special subjects by subject.

W 627

Collective museums, exhibitions, etc., on forensic subjects

W 628

Individual museums, exhibitions, etc., on forensic subjects (Cutter from name of institution, exhibit, etc.) (Table-G)

[W 632]

[This number not used]

Classify works on medical jurisprudence only in W 32.5-32.6. Cf. W 700.

W 639

Handbooks. Resource guides
(Monographs and Serials)

W 700

General works

Classify here general works on medical and pathological examination of criminal evidence, as well as works including material on medical jurisprudence. Classify works on medical jurisprudence only, in W 32.5-32.6.

W 705

Forensic dentistry

W 725

Expert testimony

W 740

Forensic psychiatry. Forensic psychology

Classify works on commitment in WM 37.

W 750

Other forensic sciences

Include here works on specialties not elsewhere classified, e.g., forensic chemistry, forensic toxicology, forensic genetics. Classify works on forensic nursing in WY 170.

Forensic Examination

W 775

General works

[W 780]

[This number not used]

Classify general works on forensic examination of the living of the living in W 775.

W 783

Malingering

W 786

Biometric identification. Genetic identification

W 789

Legal establishment of the beginning of life

W 791

Consanguinity. Paternity

W 795

Rape. Sexual offenses

Classify works on child sexual abuse in WA 325.

W 800

Forensic anthropology. Examination of dead bodies. Duties of coroners

W 820

Signs of death. Time of death. Sudden death

Classify works on registration and certification of the dead in WA 54.

[W 822]

[This number not used]

Classify works on forensic aspects of destruction of body remains in W 800-867.

W 825

Determination of cause of death. Forensic autopsy

W 843

Trauma

W 860

Criminal violence. Homicide

W 864

Suicide

W 867

Illegal abortion

Cf. WQ 225 spontaneous abortion; WQ 440 for techniques of therapeutic or induced abortion; HQ 767-767.52 for social aspects of induced abortion.

Disability Evaluation. Compensation

W 900

Forensic aspects of insurance

Classify works on liability insurance in form number 44 with malpractice when available in NLM schedules or in HG 9990 if general material.

W 910

Forensic aspects of compensation to victims of criminal violence

W 925

Forensic aspects of occupational disease and injury

Cf. WV 32 for estimation of disability in otolaryngology; WW 32 for estimation of disability in ophthalmology.