Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

doi:10.1177/23333936221108706

. 2022 Jul 7:9:23333936221108706.

doi: 10.1177/23333936221108706. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

Tanja Moilanen¹, Mari Sivonen², Kirsi Hipp³, Hanna Kallio¹, Oili Papinaho^{1

4}, Minna Stolt¹, Riitta Turjamaa⁵, Arja Häggman-Laitila^{6

7}, Mari Kangasniemi¹

Affiliations

¹ University of Turku, Finland.
² Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Joensuu, Finland.
³ Häme University of Applied Sciences, Finland.
⁴ Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
⁵ Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio, Finland.
⁶ University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
⁷ Department of Social Services and Health Care, Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 35832602
PMCID: PMC9272191
DOI: 10.1177/23333936221108706

Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

Tanja Moilanen et al. Glob Qual Nurs Res. 2022.

. 2022 Jul 7:9:23333936221108706.

doi: 10.1177/23333936221108706. eCollection 2022 Jan-Dec.

Authors

Tanja Moilanen¹, Mari Sivonen², Kirsi Hipp³, Hanna Kallio¹, Oili Papinaho^{1

4}, Minna Stolt¹, Riitta Turjamaa⁵, Arja Häggman-Laitila^{6

7}, Mari Kangasniemi¹

Affiliations

¹ University of Turku, Finland.
² Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Joensuu, Finland.
³ Häme University of Applied Sciences, Finland.
⁴ Oulu University Hospital, Finland.
⁵ Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Kuopio, Finland.
⁶ University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
⁷ Department of Social Services and Health Care, Helsinki, Finland.

PMID: 35832602
PMCID: PMC9272191
DOI: 10.1177/23333936221108706

Abstract

Healthcare provides a rich, and constantly increasing, number of written documents, which are underutilized in research data for health and nursing sciences, but previous literature has only provided limited guidance on the process of document analysis. The aim of this paper is to provide a methodological framework for analyzing health care documents as written data, based on a systematic methodological review and the research team's experience of the method. Based on the results, the methods consist of seven phases: (i) identify the purpose, (ii) determine the document selection strategy, (iii) select or design an extraction matrix, (iv) carry out pilot testing, (v) collect and analyze the data, (vi) consider the credibility, and (vii) ethics of the study. The framework that has been developed can be used to carry out document analysis studies that are both feasible and credible.

Keywords: credibility; document analysis; feasibility; methodology; systematic methodological review; written data.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

**Figure 1.**
Flow chart of the literature searches and selection.

**Figure 2.**
Phases of document analysis.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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[1] Alonso V., Santos J. V., Pinto M., Ferreira J., Lema I., Lopes F., Freitas A. (2020). Health records as the basis of clinical coding: Is the quality adequate? A qualitative study of medical coders’ perceptions. Health Information Management Journal, 49(1), 28–37. 10.1177/1833358319826351 - DOI - PubMed

[2] Alonso V., Santos J. V., Pinto M., Ferreira J., Lema I., Lopes F., Freitas A. (2020). Health records as the basis of clinical coding: Is the quality adequate? A qualitative study of medical coders’ perceptions. Health Information Management Journal, 49(1), 28–37. 10.1177/1833358319826351 - DOI - PubMed

[3] Appleton J. V., Cowley S. (1997). Analysing clinical practice guidelines. A method of documentary analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25(5), 1008–1017. https://doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1997.19970251008.x - DOI - PubMed

[4] Appleton J. V., Cowley S. (1997). Analysing clinical practice guidelines. A method of documentary analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 25(5), 1008–1017. https://doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1997.19970251008.x - DOI - PubMed

[5] Atkinson P., Coffey A. (2010). Analysing documentary realities. In Silverman D. (Ed.), Qualitative research (pp. 56–76). SAGE.

[6] Atkinson P., Coffey A. (2010). Analysing documentary realities. In Silverman D. (Ed.), Qualitative research (pp. 56–76). SAGE.

[7] Boeije H. (2002). A purposeful approach to the constant comparative method. Quality & Quantity, 36(4), 391–409. https://doi:10.1023/A:1020909529486 - DOI

[8] Boeije H. (2002). A purposeful approach to the constant comparative method. Quality & Quantity, 36(4), 391–409. https://doi:10.1023/A:1020909529486 - DOI

[9] Bowen G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi:10.3316/QRJ0902027 - DOI

[10] Bowen G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9(2), 27–40. https://doi:10.3316/QRJ0902027 - DOI

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Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

Affiliations

Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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References

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