Source Files

The HCUP Wisconsin inpatient files were constructed from confidential files received from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services.

Beginning in 2014, Wisconsin provides a separate inpatient file and a combined outpatient file.

Prior to 2014, inpatient and outpatient data were provided on a combined file. A source supplied data element with a specific value for inpatient data was used to identify inpatient records.

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

Wisconsin supplied discharge data abstract and uniform bills for all acute-care, non-federal Wisconsin hospitals. Source documentation provided by Wisconsin indicates that psychiatric facilities, alcohol and other drug abuse, and rehabilitation facilities are included in the Wisconsin data.

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 2010.

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

Information on stays in Medicare-certified swing bed, sub-acute care, and Medicare-certified hospice units were excluded from the files provided by the data source.

Exclusion of Records During HCUP Data Processing

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