Mississippi is one of the few states or jurisdictions without a state health data reporting program, leaving important gaps in information to guide policy and market decisions. In 2007, 46 states and the District of Columbia maintained hospital inpatient discharge databases. Because these data typically include detailed information on all patients discharged from the acute care hospitals in
the jurisdiction, they are a complete, ongoing source of health care information that has proven useful in health care cost, quality, access, and research applications. These systems are the foundation for policy, research, and market information in those states and a growing source of health care data for national programs.
