2002 December Report of the Auditor General of Canada

Discharge Abstract Database

The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) receives data on hospital discharges from all hospitals in every province and territory, except Quebec and parts of Manitoba. Coverage represents roughly 75 percent of all hospital inpatient discharges in Canada.

The database contains more than 100 demographic, administrative, and clinical data elements for hospital discharges (inpatient acute, chronic, rehabilitation) and day surgeries.

Hospital Morbidity Database

Data are downloaded from the Discharge Abstract Database for participating hospitals. Data files for the remaining hospitals are submitted by the appropriate provincial or territorial ministry of health. Data are received from general and allied special hospitals, including acute care, convalescence, and chronic facilities (except in Ontario). Data do not include any outpatient services in any hospital, or services in psychiatric hospitals.

This database contains clinical and demographic data on primary diagnosis, operations, admission date, discharge condition, total days stayed, and age and gender.

The purpose of the Hospital Morbidity Database is to

• collect, process, and analyze diagnoses and procedures for all hospital discharges;
• facilitate hospital, regional, provincial/territorial, and national comparative reporting;
• support management decision making at the hospital, regional, and provincial/territorial levels;
• provide data to federal departments such as Statistics Canada; and
• support related approved analysis and research.