A National Minimum Data Set (NMDS) is a minimum set of data elements agreed for mandatory collection and reporting at a national level.
A NMDS may include data elements that are also included in other National Minimum Data Sets.
A NMDS is contingent upon a national agreement to collect uniform data and to supply it as part of the national collection, but does not preclude agencies and service providers from collecting additional data to meet their own specific needs.
Key words that describe a National Minimum Data Set are:
- Minimum
- Standards
- Agreement
- Collection
- Reporting
Arguably, the most important aspect of a National Minimum Data Set is the agreement. Without agreement between all relevant parties, a National Minimum Data Set does not exist.
A National Minimum Data Set agreement includes specified data elements as well as the scope of the application of those data elements.
The agreement to collect a specified set of data elements is essentially a policy issue.
The National Health Data Dictionary, identifies data elements from National Minimum Data Sets. A national minimum data set is a subset of the metadata type called Data Set Specifications (DSS). NMDS descriptions can be found in the METeOR health sector.