Data Resources

Latest statistical portraits of how health care is delivered in the United States.

Data Infographics

AHRQ's data infographics provide visual snapshots of health care trend data. These infographics highlight findings from the Agency’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), and other AHRQ data sources. AHRQ’s infographics are available free of charge for posting on web sites, in newsletters, and on other platforms.

Data Sources Available from AHRQ

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) provides a range of data resources in the form of online, searchable databases. Data are provided on topics such as the use of health care, the costs of care, trends in hospital care, health insurance coverage, out-of-pocket spending, and patient satisfaction.

Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)

HCUP is the Nation’s most comprehensive source of hospital data, including information on in-patient care, ambulatory care, and emergency department visits. HCUP enables researchers, insurers, policymakers and others to study health care delivery and patient outcomes over time, and at the national, regional, State, and community levels.

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)

MEPS is the only national data source measuring how Americans use and pay for medical care, health insurance, and out-of-pocket spending. Annual surveys of individuals and families, as well as their health care providers, provide data on health status, the use of medical services, charges, insurance coverage, and satisfaction with care.

State Snapshots

The State Snapshots provide state-specific health care quality information, including strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement. The goal is to help state officials and their public- and private-sector partners better understand health care quality and disparities in their state.

U.S. Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)

The United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK) is a metadata registry of healthcare-related data standards funded and directed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) with management support in partnership with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Page last reviewed April 2018
Page originally created February 2014
Internet Citation: Data Resources. Content last reviewed April 2018. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/research/data/index.html