Hospital Discharge Data System Arkansas Department of Health

Hospital Discharge Data System

The Arkansas Department of Health’s Hospital Discharge Data System is one of the most important tools for addressing a broad range of health policy issues. Act 670 of 1995, A.C.A. 20-7-201 et seq., requires all hospitals licensed in the state of Arkansas to report information as prescribed by the State Board of Health. “All hospitals” include general medical surgical (GMS) hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), long-term acute care hospitals (LTAC), psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals. The Act also specifically prohibits the release of any information from the collected data that identifies, or could be used to identify, any individual patient, provider, institution or health plan.

Since 1996, ADH’s Hospital Discharge Data System has increased its capacity and functionality to include practically all discharges. This includes 2000-2015 inpatient discharges- with a stay of more than one day; as well as 2013-2015 emergency department discharges. 2012 was the preliminary year for emergency department data.

The Hospital Discharge Data Team works diligently to process data of good quality and accuracy. This is achieved by editing and processing data from all hospitals and producing an annual dataset. Hospital personnel and researchers can request inpatient and/or emergency department data, and utilize it towards research and/or policy initiatives. Arkansas de-identified datasets are also shared with the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) through a Federal-State-Industry partnership sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). HCUP includes the largest collection of longitudinal hospital care data in the US.

Arkansas hospital discharge data can be accessed through HCUP’s online query system at https://hcupnet.ahrq.gov/. This system provides health care statistics and information for hospital inpatient, and emergency departments, as well as population-based health care data on the county level. In addition, you can submit a request for HDDS IP/ED Discharge Data through the ADH REDCap system ADH Data Request Form (arkansas.gov). After completing and submitting a request, the HDDS team reviews and responds to each inquiry within an allotted timeframe. Charges may also apply.

Downloads

Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data Annual Report (2014)

Arkansas Hospital Discharge Data Submittal Guides and Memos

Memos: 2014 Data Submittal Guide Coding Updates | 2014 Data Submittal Guides Corrections | 2014 Data Submittal Guides Effective Date Delayed | 2014 Data Guide Correction Memo II

Submittal Guides: Inpatient Database: 2014 | Emergency Department Patient Database: 2014