Identifying potential biases in code sequences in primary care electronic healthcare records: a retrospective cohort study of the determinants of code frequency.
Thomas BeaneyJonathan M ClarkeDavid SalmanThomas WoodcockAzeem MajeedMauricio BarahonaPaul AylinPublished in: BMJ open (2023)
The frequency of diagnostic codes for newly diagnosed LTCs is influenced by factors including patient sociodemographics, disease inclusion in QOF, GP practice and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Natural language processing or other methods using temporally ordered code sequences should account for these factors to minimise potential bias.