Value of ICD-9 coded chief complaints for detection of epidemics.

F C Tsui, Michael M. Wagner, Virginia Dato, Chuen‐Chau Chang

PubMed · 2001 · 88 citations · 7 references

Concepts

Abstract

To assess the value of ICD-9 coded chief complaints for early detection of epidemics, we measured sensitivity, positive predictive value, and timeliness of Influenza detection using a respiratory set (RS) of ICD-9 codes and an Influenza set (IS). We also measured inherent timeliness of these data using the cross-correlation function. We found that, for a one-year period, the detectors had sensitivity of 100% (1/1 epidemic) and positive predictive values of 50% (1/2) for RS and 25% (1/4) for IS. The timeliness of detection using ICD-9 coded chief complaints was one week earlier than the detection using Pneumonia and Influenza deaths (the gold standard). The inherent timeliness of ICD-9 data measured by the cross-correlation function was two weeks earlier than the gold standard.

References

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