Table 1.

Overview of categories and definitions used in the study’s person-matching algorithm.

Matching categories	Variable definitionsa
Exact	if m.last_name and m.first_name and m.dob and m.ssn and m.sex and m.race then m.score := exact;
Very high	elsif (m.last_name and m.first_name and m.dob and m.sex) or m.ssn then m.score := very_high;
High	elsif m.last_name and m.first_name and m.dob and (m.sex or m.race) then m.score := high;
Medium high	elsif m.last_name and m.first_soundex and m.dob and m.sex then m.score := medium_high;
Medium (1st definition)	elsif m.last_name and m.dob and m.sex and m.race then m.score:= medium;
Medium (2nd definition)	elsif m.last_soundex and m.first_soundex and m.dob and (m.sex or m.race) then m.score := medium;
Medium low	elsif m.last_soundex and m.first_soundex and m.partial_dob and m.partial_ssn and (m.sex or m.race) then m.score := medium_low;
Low	elsif m.last_soundex and (m.partial_dob and m.partial_ssn) and (m.sex or m.race) then m.score := low;
Very low	elsif m.last_soundex and (m.partial_dob or m.partial_ssn) then m.score := very_low;

^aLast name=Last name of PLWH in eHARS person file; First name=First name of PLWH in eHARS person file; DOB=Date of birth of PLWH in eHARS person file; SSN=Social Security Number of PLWH in eHARS person; Race=hierarchical race/ethnicity assignment for PLWH in eHARS person-view; Soundex=Soundex is a phonetic, alphanumeric code created by converting a name into an index letter and a 3-digit code. The index letter is the first letter of the name. The 3-digit code is calculated from the remaining letters of the name, based on rules found in the eHARS Technical Guidance. There is a Soundex variable for first name and a Soundex for last Name.