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NIS Database Documentation - Archive
The NIS is a set of longitudinal hospital inpatient databases included in the HCUP family. These databases are created by AHRQ through a Federal-State-Industry partnership.
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Description of NIS Files
  • Introduction to the NIS

  • Sources of NIS Data and State-Specific Restrictions


Description of Data Elements in the NIS
Description of Data Elements
Descriptions can be viewed as a single document (approximately 200+ pages long for the Core Data Elements and 60+ pages long for the Hospital File Data Elements).

The PDF versions of the data element descriptions were created when the databases were developed. Any updates to the data element descriptions are contained in the data element-specific notes.

Select to access a printable version of all data elements. Some documents are provided in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. The amount of time needed to access a document depends on your machine, browser, and Internet connection. PDF files require the Adobe® Acrobat® Reader™, which can be downloaded free of charge from Adobe®. PDF Help provides instructions on how to work with PDF files.
Internet Citation: HCUP NIS Archive. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). May 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/db/nation/nis/nisarchive.jsp.
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If you have comments, suggestions, and/or questions, please contact hcup@ahrq.gov.
Last modified 5/26/11