The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project

What is HCUP?

As described by the official website, “The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is a family of databases and related software tools and products developed through a Federal-State-Industry partnership and sponsored by AHRQ. HCUP databases are derived from administrative data and contain encounter-level, clinical and non-clinical information, including all-listed diagnoses and procedures, discharge status, patient demographics, and charges for all patients, regardless of payer (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, uninsured).” More information regarding HCUP may be found here. The CPO has access to two datasets maintained by HCUP, the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and the State Inpatient Database.