PDFWAC 246-455-085
Data files—Release of data files and data use agreements.
(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 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 |
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.