What is NAHDO?
The National Association of Health Data Organizations (NAHDO) is a national non-profit educational and membership organization dedicated to improving health care through the collection, dissemination, public availability, and use of health care data. Established in 1986, NAHDO provides leadership in health care information management and analysis, promotes the availability of and access to health care data, and the use of these data to make informed decisions and guide the development of health care policy.
NAHDO provides leadership in health care information management and analysis, promotes the availability of and access to health care data, and the use of these data to make informed decisions and guide the development of health care policy. NAHDO provides technical assistance and information on current issues and strategies to develop a comprehensive, integrated health information system. NAHDO's educational programs serve as forum to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas and practices among collectors and users of health data. By doing so, NAHDO increases the state of the knowledge.
Who are NAHDO members?
NAHDO members are federal, state, academic, and private organizations that maintain or use large-scale health care data bases for health services research, market applications, public health and policy, quality improvement, and consumer information. Our corporate members provide technical and analytic products and services to improve the quality and use of health care data. Collectively, our members represent a diverse national "community of practice" around the collection, analysis, and dissemination of health care data.
What are health care data bases?
NAHDO and its members are leaders in the collection and use of the following large-scale data bases:
Statewide Inpatient Discharge Data: A complete collection of patient demographic, clinical and billing data for all payer types (including self-pay and uninsured) for all patients admitted to a licensed acute care hospital in a state during a calendar quarter or year. Inpatient data are collected by visit, not by individual, and are reported at the encounter level rather than as aggregated statistics.
Statewide Ambulatory Surgery Data: A complete collection of patient demographic, clinical, and billing data for all payer types (including self-pay and uninsured) for all patients admitted to a licensed facility in a state during a calendar quarter or year. Ambulatory surgery data are collected by visit, not by individual, and are reported at the encounter level rather than as aggregated statistics.
Statewide Emergency Department Data: A complete collection of patient demographic, clinical and billing data for all payer types (including self-pay and uninsured) for all patients admitted to the emergency department in an licensed acute care hospital in a state during a calendar quarter or year.
All Payer Claims Data Bases (APCDs): Large-scale databases, created by state mandate, that typically include data derived from medical, eligibility, provider, pharmacy, and/or dental files from private and public payers.
States vary in how they make data reports and products available. NAHDO members can access the State Health Data Agency Profiles to obtain details about state collection and release practices.