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Journal Article

Citation

Hunt PR, Hackman HH, Berenholz G, McKeown L, Davis L, Ozonoff V. Inj. Prev. 2007; 13(6): 422-425.

Affiliation

Occupational Health Surveillance Program, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/ip.2007.015859

PMID

18056321

PMCID

PMC2598290

Abstract

The accuracy of external cause of injury codes (E codes) for work-related and non-work-related injuries in Massachusetts emergency department data were evaluated. Medical records were reviewed and coded by a nosologist with expertise in E coding for a stratified random sample of 1000 probable work-related (PWR) and 250 probable non-work-related (PNWR) cases. Cause of injury E codes were present for 98% of reviewed cases and accurate for 65% of PWR cases and 57% of PNWR cases. Place of occurrence E codes were present in less than 30% of cases. Broad cause of injury categories were accurate for about 85% of cases. Non-specific categories (not elsewhere classified, not specified) accounted for 34% of broad category misclassifications. Among specified causes, machinery injuries were misclassified most often (39/60, 65%), predominantly as cut/pierce or struck by/against. E codes reliably identify the broad mechanism of injury, but inaccuracies and incompleteness suggest areas for training of hospital admissions staff, providers, and coders.


Language: en

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