HCUP-US Overview

HCUP

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP, pronounced "H-Cup") is a family of health care databases and related software tools and products developed through a Federal-State-Industry partnership and sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). HCUP databases bring together the data collection efforts of State data organizations, hospital associations, private data organizations, and the Federal government to create a national information resource of patient-level health care data (HCUP Partners). HCUP includes the largest collection of longitudinal hospital care data in the United States, with all-payer, encounter-level information beginning in 1988. These databases enable research on a broad range of health policy issues, including cost and quality of health services, medical practice patterns, access to health care programs, and outcomes of treatments at the national, State, and local market levels.

HCUP's objectives are to:

Create and enhance a powerful source of national, state, and all-payer health care data.
Produce a broad set of software tools and products to facilitate the use of HCUP and other administrative data.
Enrich a collaborative partnership with statewide data organizations aimed at increasing the quality and use of health care data.
Conduct and translate research to inform decision making and improve health care delivery.

HCUP Fact Sheet

A printable copy of the HCUP Fact Sheet is available in HTML.

HCUP Databases

provide data beginning in 1988 and contain encounter-level information for all payers compiled in a uniform format with privacy protections in place.

HCUP databases include:

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) with inpatient data from a national sample of over 1,000 hospitals.

The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) is a nationwide sample of pediatric inpatient discharges.

The State Inpatient Databases (SID) contain the universe of inpatient discharge abstracts from participating states.

The State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) contain data from ambulatory care encounters from hospital-affiliated and sometimes freestanding ambulatory surgery sites.

The State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) contain data from hospital-affiliated emergency departments for visits that do not result in hospitalizations.

Many of the HCUP databases are available for purchase through the HCUP Central Distributor.

NIS (starting in 1988)
KID (starting in 1997)
SID (starting in 1995)
SASD (starting in 1997)
SEDD (starting in 1999).

HCUP Tools and Software

The HCUP databases have been a powerful resource for the development of tools that can be applied to other similar databases by health services researchers and decision makers.

HCUPnet is an interactive tool for identifying, tracking, analyzing, and comparing statistics on hospital and emergency care. HCUPnet queries generate statistics in a table format using data from the NIS and SID databases for those States that have agreed to participate.

The AHRQ Quality Indicators (QIs) are measures of health care quality that make use of readily available hospital inpatient administrative data. The AHRQ QIs consist of three modules measuring various aspects of quality. Software and user guides for all three modules are available to assist users in applying the Quality Indicators to their own data.

The Clinical Classifications Software (CCS), was developed with HCUP data and is available for downloading. The CCS provides a method for classifying diagnoses or procedures into clinically meaningful categories, which can be used for aggregate statistical reporting of a variety of types.

	Overview of HCUP The HCUP (pronounced "H-CUP") family of health care databases and related software tools and products is made possible by a Federal-State-Industry partnership sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
	Home What is HCUP? Overview of HCUP On-line HCUP Overview Course Index of HCUP Topics Products Databases HCUPNet Tools & Software Reports Services Central Distributor User Support LISTSERV® Data Use Agreement Training Databases Nationwide HCUP Database Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) Overview of the NIS How to Obtain the NIS HCUP Partners in the NIS Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training NIS Data Use Agreement How to cite the NIS Kids' Inpatient Sample (KID) Overview of the KID How to Obtain the KID HCUP Partners in the KID Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training KID Data Use Agreement How to cite the KID Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) Overview of the NEDS How to Obtain the NEDS HCUP Partners in the NEDS Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training NEDS Data Use Agreement How to cite the NEDS State-Specific HCUP Databases State Inpatient Databases (SID) Overview of the SID How to Obtain the SID HCUP Partners in the SID Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training SID Data Use Agreement How to cite the SID State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) Overview of the SASD How to Obtain the SASD HCUP Partners in the SASD Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training SASD Data Use Agreement How to cite the SASD State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) Overview of the SEDD How to Obtain the SEDD HCUP Partners in the SEDD Related Reports Database Documentation HCUP Data Use Agreement Training SEDD Data Use Agreement How to cite the SEDD Tools & Software Favorites HCUPNet AHRQ Quality Indicators (QIs) More Tools & Software Clinical Classification Software (CCS) for ICD-9-CM Clinical Classification Software (CCS) for ICD-10 Clinical Classification Software for Mental Health and Substance Abuse (CCS-MHSA) Clinical Classification Software (CCS) for Services and Procedures Chronic Condition Indicator Comorbidity Software Procedure Classes Utilization Flags HCUP Supplemental Files Cost-to-Charge Ratio (CCR) Files Hospital Market Structure (HMS) Files American Hospital Association (AHA) Linkage Files MONAHRQ Reports National Statistics Facts and Figures Fact Books Statistics Archives Quick Facts Statistical Briefs Highlights Research Spotlights List of Publications Technical Database Reports NIS Reports KID Reports NEDS Reports SID Reports SASD Reports SEDD Reports Methods Series Other News & Events e-News Announcements Calendar Events Database and Product Releases Archives Technical Assistance Need Help? Central Distributor On-line HCUP Overview Course Data Use Agreement Training Publishing Citation Instructions Index User Support


HCUP The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP, pronounced "H-Cup") is a family of health care databases and related software tools and products developed through a Federal-State-Industry partnership and sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). HCUP databases bring together the data collection efforts of State data organizations, hospital associations, private data organizations, and the Federal government to create a national information resource of patient-level health care data (HCUP Partners). HCUP includes the largest collection of longitudinal hospital care data in the United States, with all-payer, encounter-level information beginning in 1988. These databases enable research on a broad range of health policy issues, including cost and quality of health services, medical practice patterns, access to health care programs, and outcomes of treatments at the national, State, and local market levels. HCUP's objectives are to: Create and enhance a powerful source of national, state, and all-payer health care data. Produce a broad set of software tools and products to facilitate the use of HCUP and other administrative data. Enrich a collaborative partnership with statewide data organizations aimed at increasing the quality and use of health care data. Conduct and translate research to inform decision making and improve health care delivery. HCUP Fact Sheet A printable copy of the HCUP Fact Sheet is available in HTML.	HCUP Databases provide data beginning in 1988 and contain encounter-level information for all payers compiled in a uniform format with privacy protections in place. HCUP databases include: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) with inpatient data from a national sample of over 1,000 hospitals. The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) is a nationwide sample of pediatric inpatient discharges. The State Inpatient Databases (SID) contain the universe of inpatient discharge abstracts from participating states. The State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) contain data from ambulatory care encounters from hospital-affiliated and sometimes freestanding ambulatory surgery sites. The State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) contain data from hospital-affiliated emergency departments for visits that do not result in hospitalizations. Many of the HCUP databases are available for purchase through the HCUP Central Distributor. NIS (starting in 1988) KID (starting in 1997) SID (starting in 1995) SASD (starting in 1997) SEDD (starting in 1999).	HCUP Tools and Software The HCUP databases have been a powerful resource for the development of tools that can be applied to other similar databases by health services researchers and decision makers. HCUPnet is an interactive tool for identifying, tracking, analyzing, and comparing statistics on hospital and emergency care. HCUPnet queries generate statistics in a table format using data from the NIS and SID databases for those States that have agreed to participate. The AHRQ Quality Indicators (QIs) are measures of health care quality that make use of readily available hospital inpatient administrative data. The AHRQ QIs consist of three modules measuring various aspects of quality. Software and user guides for all three modules are available to assist users in applying the Quality Indicators to their own data. The Clinical Classifications Software (CCS), was developed with HCUP data and is available for downloading. The CCS provides a method for classifying diagnoses or procedures into clinically meaningful categories, which can be used for aggregate statistical reporting of a variety of types.