The Department of Health manages a number of hospital related data collections which describe the characteristics of public and private hospitals, non-admitted patient care, admitted patients and the care they receive in hospital, and elective surgery and emergency department waiting times. These data collections are provided by:
- State and territory health authorities and collated by the AIHW
- Health funds
- Private hospitals and day facilities
Admitted Patient Care
Data held: 1991-92 to presentCollected: Financial years ending 30 June each year
Reported: Nil
Dataset: Admitted Patient Care National Minimum Dataset
Scope: Episodes of care for admitted patients in all public and private acute and psychiatric hospitals, free standing day hospital facilities and alcohol and drug treatment centres in Australia. Also included are hospitals operated by the Australian Defence Force, corrections authorities, Australia's off-shore territories, and hospitals specialising in dental, ophthalmic aids and other specialised acute medical or surgical care.
Source: This data is provided by hospitals from their patient administrative and clinical record systems under the National Health Information Agreement to the State or Territory health departments. From there, the data is forwarded to the AIHW for national collation. The Department of Health receives the data once AIHW has completed the data validation.
Description: De-identified episode level records which include administrative, demographic and clinical data.
For 2014–15, additional information on subacute and non-acute care in activity-based funded hospitals (based on the Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care Data Set Specification) was also provided by states and territories, on a best efforts basis.
Further information:
Non-admitted Patient Care
Data held:- 2005-06 to 2012-13 (Outpatient Care)
- 2013-14 to present (Non-admitted Patient Care – Aggregate)
- 2013-14 to present (Non-admitted Patient Care – Unit Record Level)
Reported: Nil
Dataset: Outpatient Care National Minimum Dataset (2007-13) - OPC
From July 2013, the OPC NMDS was superseded by the Activity based funding: Non-admitted patient care aggregate/unit record level Dataset Specifications:
- Non-admitted Patient Care Hospital Aggregate National Minimum Dataset – NAPAGG
- Non-admitted Patient Care Hospital Unit Record Level National Minimum Dataset– NAPUR
NAPAGG: Non-admitted patient service events involving non-admitted patients provided by public hospitals. Between 2013–14 and 2014–15, the scope changed from a focus on activity-based funded hospitals to all public hospitals.
NAPUR: Non-admitted patient service events in activity-based funded hospitals. Jurisdictions may also supply data for ‘block-funded’ hospitals.
Source: This data is provided by hospitals from their patient administrative and clinical record systems under the National Health Information Agreement to the State or Territory health departments. From there, the data is forwarded to the AIHW for national collation. The Department of Health receives the data once AIHW has completed the data validation.
Description: OPC: Outpatient care information provided to non-admitted, non-emergency patients registered for care in outpatient clinics of public hospitals. It includes outpatient clinic types, total number of group sessions and total number of occasions of service.
NAPAGG: Clinic-level data on the type of outpatient clinic, counts of individual and group service events and group sessions and the principal source of funding for the service events.
NAPUR: Episode-level data including selected patient characteristics; the type of outpatient clinic; whether the episode was an individual or a group service event; the source of the request for service; the service delivery setting; the service delivery mode and the principal source of funding.
Further information:
- http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/336862
- http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/612278
- http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/584108
Public Hospital Establishment
Data held:- 2003-04 to present (Establishment-level)
- 2014-15 to present (Jurisdiction and LHN level)
Reported: Nil
Dataset:
- Public Hospital Establishments (Establishment Level) National Minimum Dataset
- Public Hospital Establishments (Jurisdiction and LHN level) Dataset
Jurisdiction and LHN level: Local hospital networks and all public hospital services that are managed by a state or territory health authority and are included in the General list of In-scope Public Hospital Services, which has been developed under the National Health Reform Agreement (2011).
Source: This data is provided by hospitals from their patient administrative and clinical record systems under the National Health Information Agreement to the State or Territory health departments. From there, the data is forwarded to the AIHW for national collation. The Department of Health receives the data once AIHW has completed the data validation.
Description: Establishment-level: This is a collection of electronic records at establishment-level for each public hospital in Australia detailing information such as expenditure, revenue, staffing, beds and services provided.
Jurisdiction and LHN level: Information on revenue, recurrent expenditure, recurrent expenditure on contracted care and staffing information, at the level relevant to public hospital service management and/or provision, using the same specifications as defined for the PHE NMDS.
Further information:
- http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/600230
- http://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/600241
Elective Surgery Waiting Times
From 2016-17 onwards, this NMDS amalgamates the previously separate Elective surgery waiting times (census data) NMDS and Elective surgery waiting times (removals data) NMDS.Elective Surgery Waiting Times Census
Data held: 2005-06 to presentCollected: By financial year
Reported: Nil
Dataset: Elective Surgery Waiting Times (Census Data)
Scope: The scope of this NMDS is patients on waiting lists for elective surgery, as defined in the Elective care waiting list episode—elective care type, code N data element (also known as 'Waiting list category'), which are managed by public acute hospitals. This will include private patients treated in public hospitals, and may include public patients treated in private hospitals.
This data is provided by most public hospitals that undertake elective surgery. All patients on elective surgery waiting lists on a census date who are ‘ready for care’ census dates are 30 September, 31 December, 31 March, 30 June.
Source: This data is provided by hospitals. State and territory health authorities provide the data to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for national collation, on an annual basis.
Description: De-identified information for patients on elective surgery waiting lists this includes clinical urgency level, waiting times at census date, surgical specialty and indicator procedure. Note limited demographic information available, patient indigenous status only.
Data are collected for patients on elective surgery waiting lists who are yet to be admitted to hospital or removed for another reason. The scope is patients on elective surgery waiting lists on a census date who are 'ready for surgery' and patients who are 'not ready for surgery', as defined in the Elective surgery waiting list episode—patient listing status, readiness for surgery code N data element.
Further information: top of page
Elective Surgery Waiting Times Removals
Data held: 2005-06 to presentCollected: By financial year
Reported: Nil
Dataset: Elective Surgery Waiting Times (Removals Data)
Scope: The scope of this national minimum data set (NMDS) is patients removed from waiting lists for elective surgery (as defined in Elective care waiting list episode—elective care type, code N) which are managed by public acute hospitals. This will include private patients treated in public hospitals, and may include public patients treated in private hospitals.
Source: This data is provided by hospitals. State and territory health authorities provide the data to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for national collation, on an annual basis.
Description: De-identified information for patients on elective surgery and patients removed from the waiting list. This includes clinical urgency level, waiting time at removal date, reason for removal, surgical specialty and indicator procedure. Note limited demographic information available, patient indigenous status only.
Data are collected for patients who have been removed from an elective surgery waiting list (for admission or another reason). Patients who were 'ready for surgery' and patients who were 'not ready for surgery' at the time of removal are included, as defined in the Elective surgery waiting list episode—patient listing status, readiness for surgery code N data element.
Further information: top of page
Non-Admitted Patient Emergency Department Care
Data held: 2003-04 to presentCollected: Financial years ending 30 June each year
Reported: Nil
Dataset: Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care National Minimum Dataset
Scope:
From 2003-04 to 2012-13, the scope was public hospitals for non-admitted patients registered for care in emergency departments. It is mandatory for Peer A (referral and women’s and children’s hospitals) and Peer B (large hospitals).
From 2013-14, the scope of the Non-admitted patient emergency department care national minimum data set (NAPEDC NMDS) is patients registered for care in emergency departments in public hospitals where the emergency department meets the following criteria:
- Purposely designed and equipped area with designated assessment, treatment and resuscitation areas.
- Ability to provide resuscitation, stabilisation and initial management of all emergencies.
- Availability of medical staff in the hospital 24 hours a day.
- Designated emergency department nursing staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and a designated emergency department nursing unit manager.
Description: De-identified information on patients presenting to Emergency Departments. Data includes patient demographics, arrival and departure status, triage category and waiting time information.
Further information: top of page
Private Hospital Data Bureau (PHDB)
Data held: 1997-98 to presentCollected: Monthly
Reported: PHDB Annual Report http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-casemix-data-collections-publications-PHDBAnnualReports
Scope: Private Hospitals and day facilities for all patient separations.
Source: This data is provided by Private Hospitals including day facilities to the Department of Health.
Description: De-identified information on admitted patient separations including patient demographics, hospital episode, clinical information (ICD10 – AM/ACHI) and hospital charges for all patients in private hospitals.
Further Information: top of page
Hospital Casemix Protocol – Inpatient data (HCP1)
Data held: 1995-96 to presentCollected: Monthly
Reported: HCP Annual Report http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-casemix-data-collections-publications-HCPAnnualReports
Scope: Public and Private Hospitals (including day facilities). All private health insurance funded admitted patient separations for which private health insurers have paid benefits.
Source: This data is provided by Public and Private Hospitals including day facilities to private health insurers, then from private health insurers to the Department of Health.
Description: De-identified information on admitted patient separations including information on patient demographics, clinical information, hospital charges, medical services, medical charges, prosthetic items, prosthetic charges, private health insurance and Medicare benefits, and consumer out-of-pocket expenses.
Further information: top of page
Hospital Casemix Protocol – Outpatient Data (HCP2)
Data held: 2008-09 to presentCollected: Quarterly
Reported: Nil
Scope: All private health insurance funded non-admitted services that qualify as hospital treatment and for which private health insurers have paid benefits.
Source: This data is provided by service providers to private health insurers then from private health insurers to the Department of Health.
Description: De-identified information on non-admitted hospital treatment, including information on patient demographics, service specialty, charges and benefits.
Further information: top of page
General Treatment Dental (GT Dental)
Data held: 2009-10 to presentCollected: Monthly
Reported: Average dental charges published annually for top 21 Australian Dental Association (ADA) codes in: http://www.privatehealth.gov.au/healthinsurance/whatiscovered/averagedental.htm
Scope: All private health insurance funded dental services that qualify as general treatment and for which private health insurers have paid benefits.
Source: This data is provided by dental service providers to private health insurers then from private health insurers to the Department of Health.
Description: De-identified information on general treatment dental services including information on patient demographics, type of dental service, charges and benefits.
Further information: