HIV-INFECTION IN HOSPITALIZED-PATIENTS AND MEDICAID ENROLLEES - THE ACCURACY OF MEDICAL RECORD CODING

To evaluate the accuracy of computerized medical-record coding for hum an immunodeficiency virus (HIV), medical charts were reviewed in six s ites. In 7601 hospital and 867 Medicaid records with a listed diagnosi s of HIV, the predictive value for HIV was 91% or higher. HIV was iden tified in 34% of 1155 Medicaid records listing immune disorder or illn ess in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) surveillance defi nition (without an HIV code). In hospital and Medicaid records, AIDS w as identified both in records listing AIDS and records listing HIV wit hout AIDS. HIV codes on hospital and Medicaid records were highly pred ictive for HIV; undercoding of HIV occurred in Medicaid records.