Uniform Data System

National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education's picture
Submitted by National Center... on Oct 21, 2016 - 5:23pm CDT

Instrument
Authors: 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Overview: 

The Uniform Data System (UDS) is a core set of data used by government agencies to review the operation and performance of federally supported health centers. The UDS tracks a variety of information, including patient demographics, services provided, staffing, clinical indicators, utilization rates, costs, and revenues. The UDS is a reporting requirement for grantees of the primary care programs funded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and the Bureau of Primary Care (BPHC).

The data are reviewed to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements, improve health center performance and operations, and report overall program accomplishments. The data help to identify trends over time, enabling HRSA to establish or expand targeted programs and identify effective services and interventions to improve the health of underserved communities and vulnerable populations. UDS data are compared with national data to review differences between the U.S. population at large and those individuals and families who rely on the health care safety net for primary care. UDS data also inform Health Center programs, partners, and communities about the patients served by Health Centers. It is possible that the data would be sensitive to organizational and training efforts incorporating interprofessional collaborative practice.

Link to Resources
Descriptive Elements
Who is Being Assessed or Evaluated?: 
Organizations
Instrument Type: 
Self-report (e.g., survey, questionnaire, self-rating)
Recording template (e.g., chart audit)
Notes for Type: 

UDS data are collected by Health Center staff from Center records and submitted via HRSA's Electronic Handbook (EHB), which is a set of data tables with standardized definitions and instructions.  

Source of Data: 
Health care providers, staff
Organizational records
Notes for Data Sources: 

The following federally subsidized health centers are required to provide data on an annual basis:

  • Community Health Center, Section 330 (e)
  • Migrant Health Center, Section 330 (g)
  • Health Care for the Homeless, Section 330 (h)
  • Public Housing Primary Care, Section 330 (i)
  • Other grantees under Section 330
Instrument Content: 
Patient / client health status
Population health
Health care costs
Other
Notes for Content: 

The UDS includes:

  • The number and socio-demographic characteristics of people served.
  • Types and quantities of services provided.
  • Counts of staff who provide these services.
  • Information about the quality of care provided to patients.
  • Health outcomes by race and ethnicity
  • Cost and efficiency data relative to the delivery of services.
  • Sources and amounts of health center income.
Instrument Length: 

A set of 12 data tables are required in the "Universal "Report."  Data are collected over time; completion time for accessing and reformulating the information is lengthy.  Sample chart audits are necessary for certain measures.

Item Format: 
Table cells into which Center staff enter specific counts and other data.
Administration: 
UDS data are submitted through the HRSA “Electronic Handbook”. The EHB allows multiple users to work on a single UDS report in a collaborative manner. It also lets users complete tables as they are able, allowing them to be saved intermittently before completion. The EHB provides users with a summary of which tables to submit. Additional guidance is available through the EHB website and other training resources.
Scoring: 
NA
Language: 
English
Norms: 
NA
Access: 
Open access (available on this website)
Notes on Access: 

See the HRSA website for information,

Psychometric Elements: Evidence of Validity
Content: 
NA
Response Process: 
NA
Internal Structure: 
NA
Relation to Other Variables: 
NA
Consequential: 
NA
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