Abstract

Abstract Administrative databases are powerful tools for pediatric research but lack patient‐level microbiology results. This study aimed to determine the accuracy of pathogen discharge diagnosis codes for children hospitalized with acute hematogenous musculoskeletal infections (MSKIs). Medical records for 244 children hospitalized with acute hematogenous MSKIs were manually reviewed to determine which bacterial pathogen, if any, was identified for each MSKI based on microbiology results obtained during the hospitalization. Microbiology results for each patient were then compared to their discharge diagnoses in the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database to determine the accuracy of pathogen discharge codes. Discharge diagnostic codes correctly matched the microbiology results in 89.3% of encounters. Sensitivity and specificity for Staphylococcus aureus discharge diagnostic codes were 88.6% and 96.4% respectively for methicillin‐susceptible S. aureus and 92.9% and 99.5% for methicillin‐resistant S. aureus . Pathogen discharge codes are reliable surrogates that accurately reflect the microbiology results for children with MSKIs.