National Health Data Hub

The National Health Data Hub (NHDH), formerly the National Integrated Health Services Information (NIHSI) analytical asset, is a major national health data linkage system for health research and analysis.

The NHDH comprises de-identified and enduring health data from state and territory, and Commonwealth data sources. It brings together data on admitted patient care services (in public and private hospitals), emergency department services and outpatient services in public hospitals for all states and territories with the exception of Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

The NHDH also includes Commonwealth data from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS), Aged care services data, National Death Index (NDI) and the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) data. 

The NHDH will facilitate person-based and longitudinal studies to support contemporary medical research, inform health and aged care services planning and policy development by government and non-government organisations, and monitoring of service delivery.

Researchers will be able to use the data set to explore issues such as validation of the current treatment pathways for chronic disease management and care.

NHDH and the broader National Health Data System

The NHDH is a key linked data resource in the National Health Data System. The National Health Data System comprises several linkage systems such as the ABS’ Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA), the National Disability Data Asset (NDDA), Population Health Research Network (PHRN) linkage nodes, state and territory linkage nodes and other bespoke linkages and assets. These linked data systems and assets are designed to be interoperable, meaning that sharing of linked data is (or will become) streamlined and will not require the sharing of personal information.

DOI: 10.25816/xdvs-6944