Use of Administrative Data for the Identificationof Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza Infection: The Validity ofInfluenza-Specific ICD-9 Codes

Abstract

We used Pediatric Health Information System data and laboratory records from 3 children's hospitals to determine whether administrative data accurately identify children with laboratory-confirmed influenza. Among 23 282 inpatients, diagnosis codes for influenza detected 73% of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases, whereas <1% of patients without a diagnosis code had laboratory-confirmed influenza.