Public Use Files – Wis. Admin. Code DHS §129-29

Public use data files provided by providers other than hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers may not disclose patient or employer identifying information.  This can be done by removing all patient identifiers, using aggregated variables, using counties rather than zip codes, removing race/ethnicity information, using categories rather than exact age, and making more general diagnoses. 

Public use data files may include only the following:

• Patient’s county of residence;
• Payment source;
• Age category;
• Patient’s procedure code with related charges;
• Patient’s diagnostic code;
• Name and address of facility;
• Patient’s gender;
• Name of the provider, if approved by the independent advisory board;
• When the service was provided (in quarterly terms);
• Other information as approved by the advisory board.

Public use data files submitted by hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers cannot identify individual patients or employees.  The Department must do this by deleting patient identifiers, using aggregated variables, not releasing the patient’s race/ethnicity, and by using counties rather than zip codes.