Database Description

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is the nation’s most comprehensive source of hospital data. It includes information on inpatient and ambulatory care as well as emergency department visits. HCUP databases are derived from administrative data (UB-04 claim forms) and contain encounter-level, clinical, and nonclinical information including all-listed diagnoses and procedures, discharge status, patient demographics, and charges for all patients, regardless of payer. Consequently, discharge data for uninsured individuals are included. Additional information about the data elements contained in each HCUP database is available through the HCUP website.

The following HCUP datasets are available through the Sheps Center:

 

National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS)

The NIS contains all-payer hospital inpatient visits. Years available: 1997-2014, 2018-2019.

 

Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID)

The KID contains all-payer pediatric hospital inpatient visits. Years available: 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2019.

 

Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS)

The NEDS contains emergency department visits (both those that do not result in an admission as well as those that result in admission to the same hospital). Years available: 2006-2014, 2018-2019.

 

State Databases for NC

  • State Inpatient Database (SID): 2000-2019
  • State Ambulatory Surgery Database (SASD): 2000-2019
  • State Emergency Department Data (SEDD): 2007-2019

 

State Inpatient Databases (SID) – for states other than NC

The SID databases contain inpatient discharge data from participating states, translated into a uniform format. Years and states available:

  • 2001-2006 (AZ, CO, FL, IA, KY, MD, NJ, UT, WA, WV, WI)
  • 2003-2011 (CA)
  • 2003-2012 (FL, NY)
  • 2014 (NY, UT)
  • 2014-2015 (FL, MN, NJ, OR, RI, VT, WA)
  • 2014-2016 (AZ, CO, IA, KY, NE, WI)

 

Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD)

The NRD is drawn from the HCUP State Inpatient Databases (SID) and can be used to create estimates of national readmission rates for all payers and the uninsured. Years available: 2013.

 

Hospital Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files and the Hospital Market Structure Files

The Cost-to-Charge and Market Structure files are hospital level files designed to supplement data elements in the NIS, KID, NRD, and SID. Years available:

  • Cost-to-Charge Ratio: 2001-2010
  • Market Structure: 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009