BackgroundChronic hepatitis B (CHB) is endemic in the Aboriginal population of Australia's Northern Territory (NT). However, many people's hepatitis B virus (HBV) status remains unknown. Objective 1. To maximise the utility of existing HBV test and vaccination data in the NT by creating a linked dataset and computerised algorithmic coding. 2. To undertake rigorous quality assurance processes to establish feasibility of using the linked dataset and computerised algorithmic coding for individual care for people living with CHB. MethodsStep 1: We used deterministic data linkage to merge information from three separate patient databases. HBV testing and vaccination data from 2008-2016 was linked and extracted for 19,314 people from 21 remote Aboriginal communities in the Top End of the NT. Step 2: A computerised algorithm was developed to allocate one of ten HBV codes to each individual.Step 3: A quality assurance process was undertaken by a clinician, using standardised processes, manually reviewing all three databases, for a subset of 5,293 Aboriginal people from five communities to check the accuracy of each allocated code.

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