Abstract

Background The number of people with musculoskeletal conditions who visit the ED is estimated to range from 3-25% of all ED visits, challenging health service planning. The aim of this study was to examine how using different ICD code lists to define musculoskeletal conditions affected estimates for the number of people with musculoskeletal conditions who visit the ED.

Methods In this cross-sectional study, we compared three different ICD code lists to see whether they provided different answers to the question: “What proportion of ED visits are due to musculoskeletal conditions?”. Data were from two publicly available databases: the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV Emergency Department database and the California Department of Health Care Access and Information Hospital Emergency Department database. The total number of (a) ED visits and (b) potentially avoidable ED visits were estimated for the three code lists. Data are presented descriptively.

Results Visits for musculoskeletal conditions accounted for between ∼6% to ∼18% of all ED visits, depending on the ICD code list used to identify visits. Between ∼6% to ∼8% of all ED visits were potentially avoidable visits for musculoskeletal conditions.

Conclusion There were larger differences in the total number of ED visits for musculoskeletal conditions identified by the different code lists than in the total number of potentially avoidable ED visits for musculoskeletal conditions.

To accurately quantify and characterize patients with musculoskeletal conditions who present to the ED, researchers must first validate the criteria used to define musculoskeletal conditions.

Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.

Funding Statement

This work was funded in part by the CIHR Research Operating Grant (Scientific Directors) held by author KK.

Author Declarations

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

The study received institutional ethics approval from the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (H25-01308).

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Yes

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List of AbbreviationsEDEmergency DepartmentED-MSKCodes from the ICD-10-AM used to identify musculoskeletal conditionsHCAIThe California Department of Health Care Access and Information Hospital Emergency Department - Diagnosis Code Frequency databaseICD-10International Classification of Diseases (version 10)ICD-10-AMAustralian modification of the ICD-10ICD-10-CACanadian modification ICD-10ICD-10-CMClinical modification of the ICD-10M-CodesCodes M00-M99 from the ICD-10-CMMIMIC-EDMedical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV Emergency Department databasePC-MSK CodesCodes from the ICD-10-CA used to identify musculoskeletal conditions