DATA USE AGREEMENT for the Nationwide Databases from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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This Data Use Agreement ("Agreement") governs the disclosure and use of data in the HCUP Nationwide Databases from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) which are maintained by the Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets (CDOM) within the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The HCUP Nationwide databases include the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS), Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS), and Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). Any person ("the data recipient") seeking permission from AHRQ to access HCUP Nationwide Databases must sign and submit this Agreement to AHRQ or its agent, and complete the online Data Use Agreement Training Course at http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov, as a precondition to the granting of such permission. |
Section 944(c) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299c-3(c)) ("the AHRQ Confidentiality Statute"), requires that data collected by AHRQ that identify individuals or establishments be used only for the purpose for which they were supplied. Pursuant to this Agreement, data released to AHRQ for the HCUP Databases are subject to the data standards and protections established by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (P.L. 104-191) and implementing regulations ("the Privacy Rule"). Accordingly, HCUP Databases may only be released in "limited data set" form, as that term is defined by the Privacy Rule, 45 C.F.R. § 164.514(e). HCUP data may only be used by the data recipient for research which may include analysis and aggregate statistical reporting. AHRQ classifies HCUP data as protected health information under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 C.F.R. § 160.103. By executing this Agreement, the data recipient understands and affirms that HCUP data may only be used for the prescribed purposes, and consistent with the following standards: |
No Identification of Persons-The AHRQ Confidentiality Statute prohibits the use of HCUP data to identify any person (including but not limited to patients, physicians, and other health care providers). The use of HCUP Databases to identify any person constitutes a violation of this Agreement and may constitute a violation of the AHRQ Confidentiality Statute and the HIPAA Privacy Rule. This Agreement prohibits data recipients from releasing, disclosing, publishing, or presenting any individually identifying information obtained under its terms. AHRQ omits from the data set all direct identifiers that are required to be excluded from limited data sets as consistent with the HIPAA Privacy Rule. AHRQ and the data recipient(s) acknowledge that it may be possible for a data recipient, through deliberate technical analysis of the data sets and with outside information, to attempt to ascertain the identity of particular persons. Risk of individual identification of persons is increased when observations (i.e., individual discharge records) in any given cell of tabulated data is less than or equal to 10. This Agreement expressly prohibits any attempt to identify individuals, including by the use of vulnerability analysis or penetration testing. In addition, methods that could be used to identify individuals directly or indirectly shall not be disclosed, released, or published. Data recipients shall not attempt to contact individuals for any purpose whatsoever, including verifying information supplied in the data set. Any questions about the data must be referred exclusively to AHRQ. By executing this Agreement, the data recipient understands and agrees that actual and considerable harm will ensue if he or she attempts to identify individuals. The data recipient also understands and agrees that actual and considerable harm will ensue if he or she intentionally or negligently discloses, releases, or publishes information that identifies individuals or can be used to identify individuals. |
Use of Establishment Identifiers-The AHRQ Confidentiality Statute prohibits the use of HCUP data to identify establishments unless the individual establishment has consented. Permission is obtained from the HCUP data sources (i.e., state data organizations, hospital associations, and data consortia) to use the identification of hospital establishments (when such identification appears in the data sets) for research, analysis, and aggregate statistical reporting. This may include linking institutional information from outside data sets for these purposes. Such purpose does not include the use of information in the data sets concerning individual establishments for commercial or competitive purposes involving those individual establishments, or to determine the rights, benefits, or privileges of establishments. Data recipients are prohibited from identifying establishments directly or by inference in disseminated material. In addition, users of the data are prohibited from contacting establishments for the purpose of verifying information supplied in the data set. Any questions about the data must be referred exclusively to AHRQ. Misuse of identifiable HCUP data about hospitals or any other establishment constitutes a violation of this Agreement and may constitute a violation of the AHRQ Confidentiality Statute. |
The undersigned data recipients provide the following affirmations concerning HCUP data: |
Protection of Individuals
Protection of Establishments
Limitations on the Disclosure of Data and Safeguards
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Terms, Breach, and Compliance |
Any violation of the terms of this Agreement shall be grounds for immediate termination of this Agreement. AHRQ shall determine whether a data recipient has violated any term of the Agreement. AHRQ shall determine what actions, if any, are necessary to remedy a violation of this Agreement, and the data recipient(s) shall comply with pertinent instructions from AHRQ. Actions taken by AHRQ may include but not be limited to providing notice of the termination or violation to affected parties and prohibiting data recipient(s) from accessing HCUP data in the future. |
In the event AHRQ terminates this Agreement due to a violation, or finds the data recipient(s) to be in violation of this Agreement, AHRQ may direct that the undersigned data recipient(s) immediately return all copies of the HCUP Nationwide Databases to AHRQ or its designee without refund of purchase fees. |
Acknowledgment |
I understand that this Agreement is requested by the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to ensure compliance with the AHRQ Confidentiality Statute. My signature indicates that I understand the terms of this Agreement and that I agree to comply with its terms. I understand that a violation of the AHRQ Confidentiality Statute may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 under 42 U.S.C. 299c-3(d), and that deliberately making a false statement about this or any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the Federal Government violates 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and is punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 or up to five years in prison. Violators of this Agreement may also be subject to penalties under state confidentiality statutes that apply to these data for particular states. |
Signed:__________________________________________________________________ Date:_________________________
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Print or Type Name:_____________________________________________________________
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Title:______________________________________________________________________________________
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Organization:________________________________________________________________________________
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Address:____________________________________________________________________________________
Address:____________________________________________________________________________________ |
City:_______________________________________ State:__________ ZIP Code:__________________
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Phone:____________________________________ Fax: __________________________________
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E-mail:____________________________________________________________________________________
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The information above is maintained by AHRQ only for the purpose of enforcement of this Agreement. |
Note to Purchaser: Shipment of the requested data product will only be made to the person who signs this Agreement, unless special arrangements that safeguard the data are made with AHRQ or its agent. Submission Information Please send signed HCUP Data Use Agreements and proof of online training to: HCUP Central Distributor Social & Scientific Systems, Inc. 8757 Georgia Avenue, 12th Floor Silver Spring, MD 20910 E-mail: HCUPDistributor@AHRQ.gov Fax: (866) 792-5313 |
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0935-0206. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Attn: Reports Clearance Officer, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857.
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2-17-16 |
Internet Citation: Nationwide Data Use Agreement. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). February 2016. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/team/NationwideDUA.jsp. |
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Last modified 2/17/16 |