National Health Care Surveys
Survey overview
Data from the National Health Care Surveys are organized according to the health care settings in which the data are collected. This overview is intended to help you decide which survey(s) to select.
Ambulatory and hospital care settings
Physician offices
The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) is designed to meet the need for objective, reliable information about the provision and use of ambulatory medical care services in the United States. Findings are based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed office-based physicians who are primarily engaged in direct patient care. Physicians in the specialties of anesthesiology, pathology, and radiology are excluded from the survey.
Years survey was fielded: 1973-1981, 1985, 1989-present
Most recent year of data available: 2006
Emergency and outpatient hospital department
The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) is designed to collect data on the utilization and provision of ambulatory care services in hospital emergency and outpatient departments. Findings are based on a national sample of visits to the emergency departments and outpatient departments of non-institutional general and short-stay hospitals, exclusive of federal, military, and Veterans Administration hospitals, located in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Years survey was fielded: 1992-present
Most recent year of data available: 2006
Inpatient hospital care
The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) is designed to meet the need for nationally representative information on inpatients discharged from nonfederal short-stay hospitals in the United States. Only hospitals with an average length of stay of fewer than 30 days for all patients, general hospitals, or children's general hospitals are included in the survey. Federal, military, and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, as well as hospital units of institutions (such as prison hospitals), and hospitals with fewer than six beds staffed for patient use, are excluded. In 2005, approximately 375,000 inpatient records were obtained from 444 hospitals.
Years survey was fielded: 1965-present
Most recent year of data available: 2006
Ambulatory surgery
The National Survey of Ambulatory Surgery (NSAS) is the only nationally representative sample of ambulatory surgery visits. In 2006, we went back in the field collecting data from hospital-based and freestanding ambulatory surgery facilities for the first time in 10 years. Our 2006 survey has detailed data on facility characteristics. Data and reports will be available in 2008.
Years survey was fielded: 1994-1996, 2006
Most recent year of data available: 2006
Long-term care settings
Home and hospice care providers
The National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS) is a continuing series of surveys of home and hospice care agencies in the United States. Information was collected about agencies that provide home and hospice care and about their current patients and discharges. The NHHCS is based on a probability sample of home health agencies and hospices. The survey includes all agencies that are licensed or certified (by Medicare or Medicaid).
Years survey was fielded: 1992-1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2007
Most recent year of data available: 2000, (2007 expected in March 2009)
Nursing homes
The National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS) is a continuing series of national sample surveys of nursing homes, their residents, and their staff. Although each of these surveys emphasized different topics, they all provided some common basic information about nursing homes, their residents, and their staff. All nursing homes included in this survey had at least three beds and were either certified (by Medicare or Medicaid) or had a state license to operate as a nursing home.
Years survey was fielded: 1973-1974, 1977, 1985, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2004
Most recent year of data available: 2004
Page Last Modified: December 09, 2008
National Center for Health
Statistics
3311 Toledo Road
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone:
1-800-232-4636
nchsquery@cdc.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA 30333, U.S.A
Tel: (404) 639-3311 / Public Inquiries: (404) 639-3534 / (800) 311-3435