Accuracy of physician billing claims for identifying acute respiratory infections in primary care.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the accuracy of physician billing claims for identifying acute respiratory infections in primary care. STUDY SETTING. Nine primary care physician practices in Montreal, Canada (2002-2005).

Study design

A validation study was carried out to compare diagnoses in 3,526 physician billing claims with diagnoses documented in the corresponding patient medical records.

Data collection

In-office medical record abstraction.

Principal findings

Claims had a high positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, and specificity for identifying respiratory infections; however, their sensitivity was below 50 percent. Large variation in sensitivity and PPV was observed among physicians.

Conclusions

Because claims data are now routinely used

SUBMITTER: Cadieux G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2614002 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature