HCUP databases are available for purchase through the HCUP Central Distributor. Prospective purchasers and all persons with access to the databases are required to read and sign a Data Use Agreement. For questions on the HCUP Data Use Agreement, please refer to the Web-based tutorial HCUP Data Use Agreement Training. Payment must be received before the databases are shipped.

Databases and Application Kits

The HCUP family of administrative longitudinal databases contains discharge-level information on inpatient care in U.S. hospitals, ambulatory surgery encounters, and emergency department encounters. These databases are created by AHRQ through a Federal-State-Industry partnership.

Full instructions for purchasing the HCUP databases are provided in the application kits. Application kits are provided in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. PDF files require the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, which can be downloaded free of charge from Adobe®. (PDF Help).

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) is a unique and powerful database of hospital inpatient stays.

• Application Kit: Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) starting in 1988 (PDF file, 99 KB)

The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) is a unique and powerful, nationwide database of hospital inpatient stays for children.

• Application Kit: Kids’ Inpatient Database (KID) for 1997, 2000, 2003, and 2006 (PDF file, 97 KB)

The State Inpatient Databases (SID) contain the universe of the inpatient discharge abstracts in participating States, translated into a uniform format to facilitate multi-State comparisons and analyses.

• Application Kit: State Inpatient Databases (SID) starting in 1990 (PDF file, 193 KB)

The State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) are a powerful set of databases, from data organizations in participating States, that capture surgeries performed on the same day in which patients are admitted and released.

• Application Kit: State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) starting in 1997 (PDF file, 193 KB)

The State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) are a powerful set of databases, from data organizations in participating States, that capture discharge information on all emergency department visits that do not result in an admission.

• Application Kit: State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) starting in 1999 (PDF file, 193 KB)

Supplemental Files

HCUP supplemental files are hospital-level or discharge-level files that augment the information contained in the HCUP databases. These files are available to HCUP data users free of charge through the HCUP Central Distributor. Three types of supplemental files are available:

• Cost-to-Charge Ratio Files
• Hospital Market Structure (HMS) Files
• NIS Trends Supplemental Files

Contact Information

To reach the HCUP Central Distributor, please contact us through any of the following channels:

• e-mail: HCUPDistributor@ahrq.gov
• Phone (toll free): (866) 556-4287
• FAX: (866) 792-5313