Integrating Large Language Models into Thematic Analysis Workflows for Healthcare Research

Large language models (LLMs) can accelerate the early stages of thematic analysis while preserving rigor. We piloted a lightweight, open-source LLM pipeline on a single semi-structured interview from a mixed-methods case study of Québec's electronic health-record rollout. Manual coders applied a predefined codebook to identify concerns about the deployment; four LLMs (including Hermes 3) performed the same task. Hermes 3 achieved the highest extraction accuracy, identifying 70 concern dimensions of which 54 were valid. Combined human-machine coding yielded 67 unique valid concerns, with the LLM uncovering 11 dimensions missed manually. These results show that LLMs can markedly reduce manual effort and reveal overlooked themes, yet expert validation remains essential. A hybrid workflow, LLM-driven extraction combined with researcher manual coding, is recommended.