OpenCodeCounts

OpenCodeCounts enables researchers to explore and analyse clinical code usage frequency data from England's primary and secondary care electronic health records.

Key Features:

• Interactive online tool: Provides a web-based interface for visualising and exploring clinical coding data.
• R package (opencodecounts): Offers programmatic access to clinical code usage datasets for analysis and integration with research workflows.
• OpenCodelists.org compatibility: Integrates with the publicly available platform for codelist development and sharing.
• Multi-classification system support: Covers three clinical coding systems used in England: SNOMED CT for primary care, and ICD-10 and OPCS-4 for secondary care.

Scientific Applications:

• Research feasibility assessment: Enables determination of whether sufficient data exists for planned electronic health records studies by revealing how frequently specific clinical codes are recorded.
• Codelist development: Supports the creation and refinement of code lists for research by providing usage frequency information to identify commonly recorded codes.
• Service evaluation: Facilitates healthcare service assessment through analysis of clinical coding patterns.
• Clinical audit: Supports systematic review of clinical practice through examination of code usage data.

Methodology:

The tool processes publicly available NHS Digital datasets showing frequency of individual clinical code usage in England. The R package and interactive application were developed to access, explore, and analyse these primary and secondary care clinical coding datasets.