The definition identified inpatient stays with diagnoses and/or procedures that indicated the hospitalization was related to a current episode of bleeding. We focused on hospitalizations because these are unambiguous and generally represent serious events. The types of serious bleeding events considered included gastrointestinal bleeding, hemorrhagic strokes and other intracranial bleeds, genitourinary bleeding, and bleeding at other sites.
The algorithm identified bleeding-related hospitalizations from the primary discharge diagnosis. The specific diagnosis codes were based upon those presented by Arnason and colleagues,12 (link) modified according to our experience and an extensive review of the computerized records for the hospitalization and related medical care (seeAppendix ). The diagnosis codes were also the basis for determining the probable site of the bleeding, classified as gastrointestinal, cerebral, genitourinary, or other. Hospitalizations for which the bleed was deemed likely to be due to major trauma were excluded. The complete algorithm is presented in the Appendix .
The algorithm did not consider hospitalizations in which only a secondary diagnosis indicated bleeding. Although serious bleeding may have occurred during these hospitalizations, our experience indicates the bleeding was more likely to have begun in the hospital.
The algorithm identified bleeding-related hospitalizations from the primary discharge diagnosis. The specific diagnosis codes were based upon those presented by Arnason and colleagues,12 (link) modified according to our experience and an extensive review of the computerized records for the hospitalization and related medical care (see
The algorithm did not consider hospitalizations in which only a secondary diagnosis indicated bleeding. Although serious bleeding may have occurred during these hospitalizations, our experience indicates the bleeding was more likely to have begun in the hospital.
