Validate inpatient episode and ward movement records

Source: R/validate_data.R

This function performs a series of checks for mandatory and optional requirements on episodes of care records. The data definitions closely follow those of the English NHS Admitted Patient Care Commissioning Datasets.

validate_inpatient_episodes(patients, episodes, wards = NULL)

Arguments

patients

data frame containing one row per patient

episodes

data frame containing one row per episode of care

wards

(optional) data frame containing one row per ward stay. Default is NULL.

Value

A logical value indicating success

Patient mandatory variables

patient_id

a patient identifier with no missing value

Patient optional variables

forename

the patient's forename

surname

the patient's surname

date_of_birth

a Date for the birth date

date_of_death

a missing value or a Date of death

sex

the following values are valid:

  • "male"

  • "female"

  • "other"

  • "unknown"

Must not be missing.

ethnic_category_UK

reserved for UK users for Ramses to compute the empirical glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The following codes are valid:

White

  • "A" British

  • "B" Irish

  • "C" Any other White background

Mixed

  • "D" White and Black Caribbean

  • "E" White and Black African

  • "F" White and Asian

  • "G" Any other mixed background

Asian or Asian British

  • "H" Indian

  • "J" Pakistani

  • "K" Bangladeshi

  • "L" Any other Asian background

Black or Black British

  • "M" Caribbean

  • "N" African

  • "P" Any other Black background

Other Ethnic Groups

  • "R" Chinese

  • "S" Any other ethnic group

Not stated

  • "Z" Not stated

Episode mandatory variables

patient_id

a patient identifier with no missing value

encounter_id

a hospital encounter (admission or spell) identifier with no missing value

admission_method

a non-missing character code:

  • "1" elective admission

  • "2" emergency admission

  • "3" transfer/other admission

Note: "1" and "2" corresponds to the first character of the NHS admission method value set; "3" corresponds to the remaining values starting with 3 or 8.

admission_date

a POSIXct timestamp for the hospital admission. Must not be missing.

discharge_date

a POSIXct timestamp for the hospital discharge. Must not be missing.

episode_number

a strictly positive integer indicating the number of the episode within an admission. Must not be missing.

last_episode_in_encounter

a character indicating whether the patient is discharged at the end of the episode:

  • "1" the episode is the last episode in the encounter

  • "2" the episode is not the last episode in the encounter

Must not be missing.

episode_start

a POSIXct timestamp for the hospital start. Must not be missing.

episode_end

a POSIXct timestamp for the hospital end Must not be missing.

consultant_code

a code uniquely identifying the medical professional responsible for the episode of care. Must not be missing.

main_specialty_code

a code identifying the main specialty of the medical professional responsible for the episode of care. Must not be missing.

Ward mandatory variables

patient_id

a patient identifier with no missing value

encounter_id

a hospital encounter identifier with no missing value

ward_code

character vector of ward codes

ward_display_name

character vector of expanded ward designations

ward_description

full text description of service/unit/specialty

ward_start

a POSIXct timestamp for the arrival time on the ward

ward_end

a POSIXct timestamp for the ward departure time