State Ambulatory Surgery Databases
The State Ambulatory Surgery Databases (SASD) are one in a family of databases and software tools developed as part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). A Federal-State-Industry partnership sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HCUP data inform decision making at the national, State, and community levels. This page provides an overview of the SASD. For more details, see Introduction to the SASD (PDF file, 184 KB).
Some documents are provided in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. The amount of time needed to access a document depends on your machine, browser, and Internet connection. PDF files require the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, which can be downloaded free of charge from Adobe®. PDF Help provides instructions on how to work with PDF files. Contents: |
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. SASD data are available through the HCUP Central Distributor.
The SASD exclude data elements that could directly or indirectly identify individuals. Purchase of the files is open to all users who sign a Data Use Agreement (PDF file, 41 KB; HTML). Users must agree to use the database for research and statistical purposes only and to make no attempts to identify individuals. Identities of institutions are available only in States where data sources already make that information public or agree to its release. For these institutions and for research purposes only, linkage is possible to data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey Database (Health Forum, LLC © 2012). Select for Introduction to the SASD (PDF file, 184 KB). |
Return to Contents |
The SASD contain more than 100 clinical and non-clinical variables included in a hospital discharge abstract, such as:
|
Return to Contents |
Thirty States now participate in the SASD (Select to access contact information for the participating data organization in these States): California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin. A number of States make SASD files available for purchase through the HCUP Central Distributor. |
Return to Contents |
The SASD are well suited for research that requires complete enumeration of hospital-based ambulatory surgery within market areas or States. Researchers and policymakers use the SASD to compare inpatient surgery data with ambulatory surgery data, conduct market area research or small area variation analyses, and identify State-specific trends in ambulatory surgery utilization, access, charges, and outcomes. Research questions that SASD can address include:
|
Return to Contents |
The SASD data set can be run on desktop computers with a CD-ROM reader, and comes in ASCII format. The data on the CD set require a statistical software package such as SAS or SPSS to use for analytic purposes. The data set comes with full documentation. SAS and SPSS users are provided programs for converting ASCII files. |
Return to Contents |
SASD files beginning in 1997 are available through the AHRQ-sponsored HCUP Central Distributor. The HCUP Central Distributor can provide more detailed, descriptive information on the SASD and assist purchasers in completing the application. |
Return to Contents |
For answers to commonly asked questions regarding HCUP databases and tools, please review the HCUP Index Page. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact HCUP User Support Staff. To reach HCUP User Support, please contact us by e-mail or phone:
|
Return to Contents |
Internet Citation: HCUP Databases. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). January 2013. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/sasdoverview.jsp. |
Are you having problems viewing or printing pages on this Website? |
If you have comments, suggestions, and/or questions, please contact hcup@ahrq.gov. |
Last modified 1/15/13 |