Source Files

The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (VAHHS) provides both ambulatory surgery (AS) and emergency department (ED) data in a single file with other outpatient services, such as observations stays. Data from nonhospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers are not included. The identification of ED records varies by year:

Beginning in data year 2011, VAHHS has created five separate record type indicator flags that identify the following:

1. Ambulatory surgery based on ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-PCS procedure codes (type A)
2. Ambulatory surgery based on revenue center codes (type AS)
3. Observation services (type O)
4. Cancelled procedures (type cancelled PX)
5. Emergency department visits (type E).

One outpatient record can include multiple types of outpatient services.

From 2006-2010, the source-supplied record type indicator was not used to identify records.

Prior to 2006, the type of outpatient record was distinguished by a record type indicator. Records that identified as ED were assigned the record type value "E". Ambulatory surgery records were assigned record type value "A", observation records were assigned record type value "O", and other outpatient services were assigned record type value "X".

Records for patients treated in the ED, and then treated and released from observation care are also included in the ED data.

Selection of Records for Inclusion in the SEDD

VAHHS provides HCUP with one outpatient file in which ED records are included with records for other nonemergent outpatient services. All records identified by VAHHS as ED are included in the SEDD (HCUP data element STATE_ED=1 based on record type "E").

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

VAHHS collects emergency department data from all 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 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.