Reliability of central coding of patient reasons for encounter in general practice, using the International Classification of Primary Care
Objective to assess the accuracy, intra- and inter-coder reliability of secondary, centralised coding of patient reasons for encounter (RFEs) with the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC). Design Almost 150,000 RFEs were secondarily coded with ICPC in a centralised central coding situ...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
1998-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics |
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| Online Access: | https://hijournal.bcs.org/index.php/jhi/article/view/210 |
| Summary: | Objective to assess the accuracy, intra- and inter-coder reliability of secondary, centralised coding of patient reasons for encounter (RFEs) with the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC).
Design Almost 150,000 RFEs were secondarily coded with ICPC in a centralised central coding situation by trained coders. Efforts were made to gain high coder reliability. A random sample of 2,369 RFEs was independently assessed for coding accuracy. A further sample of 162 RFEs were tested for inter-coder reliability by comparison with a gold standard and for intra-coder reliability by matched comparison of double coded RFEs.
Setting primary health care.
Subjects doctor_patient contact records.
Main outcome measures Accuracy was qualitatively assessed as: absent; incorrect; acceptable but could be improved; correct.
Inter- and intra-coder reliability: mean percentage correct scores calculated at ICPC chapter level, at individual rubric level and within each ICPC chapter.
Results Only 1.8% of RFEs were missing, incorrect or needed improvement. Inter-coder reliability at ICPC chapter level was 91.7% and at rubric level, 81.8%. Intra-coder reliability was 96.2% at chapter level and 90.0% at rubric level. Reliability varied with ICPC chapter.
Conclusion High coder reliability can be gained with ICPC in a central, secondary coding environment but training, an improved index and coding rules are required. |
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| ISSN: | 2058-4555 2058-4563 |