Source Files

The HCUP Georgia inpatient files were constructed from inpatient data received from Georgia Hospital Association (GHA): An Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.

Beginning with 2003 inpatient data, GHA removes from the data any diagnosis codes indicating medical misadventures and adverse reactions.

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

Inpatient discharge data were provided for hospitals that are members of GHA.

A comparison of the number of hospitals included in the SID and the number of hospitals reported in the AHA Annual Survey is available starting in data year 2014.

Hospitals do not always report data for a full calendar year. Some hospitals open or close during the year; other hospitals have technical problems that prevent them from reporting data for all months in a year.

Inclusion of Stays in Special Units

The documentation supplied by Georgia does not indicate whether stays in special units within the hospital (e.g., psychiatric, rehabilitation, long-term care) are included in the file.

Exclusion of Records During HCUP Data Processing

Records with a discharge disposition of "still a patient" or "admitted as an inpatient to this hospital" were excluded from the HCUP Georgia inpatient data.