Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
HEALTH INFORMATION
Chapter 246-455 - Hospital patient discharge information reporting
Section 246-455-085 - Data files-Release of data files and data use agreements

Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 246-455-085

Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024

(1) The department may create and release data files with patient discharge information as allowed under RCW 43.70.052 and this chapter. The type of information contained in the file, including direct and indirect patient identifiers, determines the category and permitted release of the data file.

(2) The department may aggregate data from patient discharge information, and may release such aggregated data with either direct patient identifiers or indirect patient identifiers, or both, in accordance with RCW 43.70.052 and this chapter.

(3) In order to maintain the confidentiality of patient discharge data, for individual requests for data the department in its discretion may designate any of the patient discharge data collected under RCW 43.70.052 and this chapter as either a direct patient identifier or an indirect patient identifier in addition to the elements already designated by the department in subsection (6) of this section.

(4) The department may distribute a data file with direct patient identifiers only to:

(a) Government agencies after entering into a data use agreement; or

(b) Researchers with approval from the Washington state institutional review board and a signed confidentiality agreement with the department.

(5) The department may distribute a data file that contains indirect patient identifiers only to agencies, researchers, and other persons upon receipt of a signed data use agreement with the department.

(6) Direct and indirect patient identifiers are as follows:

Patient Discharge Data Element

Direct or Indirect Patient Identifier

Patient control number

Direct

Patient Discharge Data Element

Direct or

Indirect Patient

Identifier

Patient medical record number

Direct

Patient first name

Direct

Patient middle initial

Direct

Patient last name

Direct

Patient Social Security number

Direct

Patient address

Direct

Patient city

Indirect

Patient county

Indirect

Patient zip code and four digits

Direct

Patient zip code (five digits only)

Indirect

Patient state

Indirect

Patient country code

Indirect

Patient's date of birth (month, day, year)

Direct

Age in years

Indirect

Sex assigned at birth

Indirect

Race

Indirect

Ethnicity

Indirect

Gender identity

Indirect

Sexual orientation

Indirect

Preferred language

Indirect

Disability

Indirect

Admission date (month, day, year)

Direct

Admission hour

Indirect

Type of admission

Indirect

Point of origin for admission

Indirect

Patient discharge status

Indirect

Discharge hour

Indirect

Statement covers period (from... through...)

Direct

Type of bill

Indirect

Revenue code

Indirect

Units of service

Indirect

Total charges

Indirect

Payer identification

Indirect

Principal diagnosis code

Indirect

Other diagnosis code

Indirect

External cause of injury code

Indirect

Principal procedure code

Indirect

Other procedure code

Indirect

Admitting diagnosis code

Indirect

Patient's reason for visit ICD code (1-3)

Indirect

Procedure date (month, day, year)

Direct

Present on admission status

Indirect

Patient Discharge Data Element

Direct or

Indirect Patient

Identifier

Service date (month, day, year)

Direct

Insured last name, first name, middle name, suffix

Direct

Patient's relationship to insured (code)

Indirect

Insured ID

Direct

Facility federal tax number

Indirect

National Provider Identifier for provider(s)

Indirect

First and last name of provider(s)

Indirect

Health care provider taxonomy code

Indirect

Health care common procedure coding system

Indirect

(7) In order to comply with 42 U.S.C. Sec. 290dd-2 and 42 C.F.R. Part 2, for any hospitalization that includes substance abuse disorder related diagnosis or procedure codes or any diagnosis related groups or major diagnosis category to the extent collected by the department, the department will remove substance abuse disorder related diagnosis or procedure codes or any diagnosis related groups or major diagnosis category from the direct patient identifier data file.

(8) Information and records related to mental health services will be disclosed consistent with both RCW 43.70.052 and chapter 70.02 RCW.

(9) In order to comply with WAC 246-490-110 protecting the identity of facilities that provide abortions, for any hospitalization that includes a diagnosis or procedure code indicating an induced termination of pregnancy, the data file with direct patient identifiers will not include patient name, facility ID, provider identifiers, or geographic identifiers less than state.

(10) The department may provide the fewest data elements necessary for the stated purpose of the project.

(11) The department may release an unrestricted public data file that does not contain direct or indirect patient identifiers to anyone. The department may create a public file by:

(a) Removing all data elements designated as indirect in subsection (6) of this section; or

(b) Aggregating or anonymizing data designated as indirect in subsection (6) of this section so that each combination of indirect patient identifiers remaining in the public file must appear at least 10 times; and

(c) Removing all data elements designated as direct in subsection (6) of this section.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Washington may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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