About

The NIHSI draws together the core government administrative health and aged care datasets.

The sources that are included are:

  • Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
  • Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)
  • Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS).
  • National Aged Care Data Clearinghouse (NACDC): Residential aged care data
  • Hospitals data including: National Hospital morbidity Database; Admitted Patient Care Database; National Non-Admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database: emergency department presentations (NNAPEDCD)
  • National Death Index (NDI)
  • Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) (from mid–2023).

What the linked data asset can be used for?

The NIHSI may be used to undertake analyses for health statistical and research purposes. This includes:

  1. health research and statistical analyses to inform government health service planning, monitoring and evaluation and health policy development, including official statistics, related insights and reporting. 
  2. health research and statistical analyses that supports non-government questions about population health and health outcomes. In some instances jurisdictions may require a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval. 
  3. monitoring variations and patterns of population health outcomes to inform clinical practice review and service delivery for the purposes of ensuring safety and quality of care.
  4. performance and health outcomes reporting at a national level.
  5. data design and development of performance and productivity measures, subject to agreement before commencement of project. Please note, ongoing official reporting of such measures using the NIHSI may not be permitted. 

Examples of topics that may be informed by use of the NIHSI include:

  • population health analysis for cohorts and sub-populations, where approved
  • patterns of use and effectiveness of health and residential aged care services, including its interactions with wellbeing characteristics
  • health risks for population and particular patient cohorts
  • accessibility and effectiveness of services contributing to the management of chronic conditions
  • exploring and estimating health system costs associated with procedures, diagnosis, and health events. 
  • validation of the current treatment pathways for chronic disease management and care
  • defining patient/client journeys and assessing efficiency and effectiveness of the health and residential aged care systems
  • policies and programs designed to reduce the incidence and severity of disease and injury.

What the linked data asset cannot be used for?

The NIHSI cannot be used for purposes that are not under the agreed arrangements for the establishment of the NIHSI. Examples of what the NIHSI cannot be used for includes, but not limited to:

  • purposes not described in the section 'What can the NIHSI be used for?'
  • to identify and report on any individual 
  • to identify and report on any service provider or clinical practice, unless approvals from data custodians has been granted
  • to identify and report on individual diagnosis of a medical condition(s)
  • official performance monitoring and reporting below the national level including measures from the Australian Health Performance Framework (AHPF), Indigenous Health Performance Framework (IHPF), Report on Government Services (RoGs), National Health Agreement (NHA), unless approvals from data custodians has been granted. Examples include:
    • reporting on the performance of health care and the Australian health system based on performance frameworks at the state and territory level or sub-levels
    • investigating key system performance indicators, such as wait times, at the state and territory level or sub-levels.
  • author data insights, findings, and reports at an individual level (e.g. reporting based on the Project-specific Person Numbers (PPNs) or other such row level identifiers) 
  • administrative and/or compliance reporting purposes, where examples include but not limited to:
    • investigating and reporting the misuse of:
      • health services, 
      • health equipment, 
      • medical devices, 
      • medications dispensed, and 
      • biologicals (such as vaccines) 
    • reporting on the performance of individuals, clinical practices, or service providers.