Soins maternels intensifs (Maternal Intensive Care) en Belgique - KCE

KCE Reports 94 Maternal Intensive Care in Belgium 69
First of all, the computer retrieves nomenclature or ‘department’ codes classifying
women into Intensive care or Near Miss categories. If those codes were not found,
ICD-9-CM codes were located.
If none of these codes were found in the database, the computer looked for ambulatory
drugs from the list of indications. Only when none of this medication was found,
medication used during the in-patient stay was taken into account.
The results of the first application of the algorithm on the database were carefully
analysed for consistency. Some frequencies were unusual and were the consequence of
the lack of specificity of some ICD-9 or ATC codes. As a consequence, some of these
unspecific codes were added to the category ‘grey zone’; some other ICD-9 codes were
grouped with ATC codes and/or other conditions to translate the severity.
For example codes 646.8X+493.X2 for asthma was classified in the ‘grey zone’ while
the same codes in combination with 28 days of oral corticosteroids treatment coded
for severe asthma and was classified in the intermediate care category. The isolated
code 658.1X (premature rupture of the membranes) classifies into the grey zone but in
combination with a baby born before 35 weeks or a length of stay of more than 7 days
before delivery, to the women is classified in the Intermediate Care category.
The mean of classification of the women included in the database into the different
categories is presented in the following table.
Table 29: Mode of classification of women to levels of care
Mode of attribution of type of care
Nomnenclature
Standard
code ICD-9-CM icd9