The accuracy of diagnosis and procedural codes for patients with upper GI hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the accuracy of diagnostic and procedural codes for common gastrointestinal (GI) conditions and endoscopic procedures.


METHODS
Eight hundred eighty-two patients with upper GI hemorrhage admitted in 1994 to 1 of 13 regional hospitals were studied. Based on endoscopy reports, the source of hemorrhage, performance of upper endoscopy and use of endoscopic therapy were determined, and we assessed the sensitivity and positive predictive value of discharge codes for measuring the source of hemorrhage and use of upper endoscopy.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and positive predictive value of principal diagnosis coding for source of hemorrhage were typically 85% to 95%. The sensitivity and predictive value of coding for upper endoscopy were 97.7% and 99.9%, respectively, and were 72.3% and 99.4%, respectively, for endoscopic therapy. Accuracy did not differ between the 4 major teaching and 9 other hospitals.


CONCLUSIONS
Hospital-based diagnostic and procedural codes are a reasonably accurate source of data for clinical and outcomes analyses of upper GI hemorrhage. In particular, it is possible to discern from these data the source of hemorrhage and the overall use of upper endoscopy.
Cooper
G S
GS
Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Chak
A
A
Lloyd
L E
LE
Yurchick
P J
PJ
Harper
D L
DL
Rosenthal
G E
GE
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000592:standards*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000145:classification*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D009820:Ohio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012042:Registries; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity