Patterns of gender identity data within electronic health record databases can be used as a tool for identifying and estimating the prevalence of gender-expansive people.

Objective: Electronic health records (EHRs) within the United States increasingly include sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) fields. We assess how well SOGI fields, along with (ICD-10) codes and medication records, identify gender-expansive patients.

Materials And Methods: The study used a data set of all patients that had in-person inpatient or outpatient encounters at an academic medical center in a rural state between December 1, 2018 and February 17, 2022. Chart review was performed for all patients meeting at least one of the following criteria: differences between legal sex, sex assigned at birth, and gender identity (excluding blank fields) in the EHR SOGI fields; ICD-10 codes related to gender dysphoria or unspecified endocrine disorder; prescription for estradiol or testosterone suggesting use of gender-affirming hormones.

Results: Out of 123 441 total unique patients with in-person encounters, we identified a total of 2236 patients identifying as gender-expansive, with 1506 taking gender-affirming hormones. SOGI field differences or ICD-10 codes related to gender dysphoria or both were found in 2219 of 2236 (99.2%) patients who identify as gender-expansive, and 1500 of 1506 (99.6%) taking gender-affirming hormones. For the gender-expansive population, assigned female at birth was more common in the 12-29 year age range, while assigned male at birth was more common for those 40 years and older.

Conclusions: SOGI fields and ICD-10 codes identify a high percentage of gender-expansive patients at an academic medical center.