The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is a collection of nationwide and state-specific longitudinal hospital care data. These databases and related software tools and products were developed through a United States federal-state-industry partnership beginning in 1988. HCUP databases bring together the data collection efforts of state data organizations, hospital associations, private data organizations, and the federal government to create a national information resource. The HCUP is sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). According to AHRQ, HCUP’s objectives are to

Organizations partnering with AHRQ have databases based on the data collection efforts of organizations in participating states that maintain statewide data systems. Included in HCUP databases are clinical and nonclinical information of encounter level data, including diagnoses and procedures, discharge status, patient ...