Source Files

The Nebraska Hospital Association (NHA) provides emergency department (ED) records to HCUP on one outpatient file. Information on the record (i.e., revenue codes and CPT codes) is used to identify resources: ED, AS, and observation stay. Revenue codes 450-459 identify ED visits, while the presence of a surgical procedure indicates an AS record. One record can include multiple types of services. Records for patients treated in the ED, and then treated and released from observation care are also included in the ED data.

The Nebraska Hospital Association prohibits the release of discharge records for patients with HIV diagnoses. These discharges were not included in the source file provided to HCUP and are therefore not included in the HCUP files.

Selection of Records for Inclusion in the SEDD

NHA provides HCUP with one outpatient file in which ED records are included with records for other nonemergent outpatient services. All records identified by NHA as ED are included in the SEDD (HCUP data element STATE_ED=1 based on revenue codes 450-459).

Additionally, any other records with evidence of ED services that are flagged by the variable HCUP_ED (i.e., HCUP_ED>0) during HCUP processing are included in the SEDD. If a record in the SASD also has evidence of ED services based on the HCUP criteria (HCUP data element HCUP_ED not equal to 0), then the SASD record is also included in the SEDD. These records will have the same value for the HCUP data element KEY.

Types of Facilities Included in the Files Provided to HCUP by the Partner

NHA provides HCUP with ED data from all member hospital-owned EDs in the State.

A comparison of the number of hospitals included in the SEDD and the number of hospitals reported in the AHA Annual Survey is available starting in data year 2010.

Hospital-owned EDs do not always report data for a full calendar year. Some open or close during the year; others have technical problems that prevent them from reporting data for all months in a year.

Exclusion of Records During HCUP Data Processing

Beginning with 2016 data, records with a discharge disposition of "still a patient" are retained in the HCUP SEDD. Prior to 2016 data, these records were excluded.

Additional SEDD Notes

For data year 2001, NHA informed HCUP that the Nebraska outpatient source data files were approximately 80% complete and that the missing records might reflect patients who lack health insurance and/or less expensive care.