Information Bulletins

Information Bulletins will be distributed electronically to individuals who have HPN Data Upload Access, subscribers to UDS-L and others who request to be included in our e-mail distribution list.

2008

  • June
    Statement of Deficiencies (SOD) Issued to Eleven Health Care Facilities, New Home Page for SPARCS on the Health Commerce System (HCS), Progress of the Expanded Outpatient Data Collection (EODC) Project, Quality Evaluations of SPARCS Data, Performance Metrics available on the HCS, Reminder for changes in July 2008

2007

  • December
    ASC X12-837 Format Required January 1, 2008, CPT4/HCPCS Code required on Ambulatory Surgery Claims Effective January 1, 2008, SPARCS Edit Updates: Present on Admission, Source of Payment, Patient Discharge Status, Source of Admission now called Point of Origin, and Happy Holidays
  • November 26
    New Reporting Cycle for 2008, Acute Mycardial Infarction (AMI) Reporting Deadline, DPRB 2008 Schedule, Changes in data elements for 2008: Required Expected Principal Reimbursement for Emergency Department Discharges, Procedure Time moved to NTE segment, Removal of edit for ICD9-CM Principal Procedure Code reporting on Outpatient Discharges, Resources
  • April
    New Definition of Ambulatory Surgery, Operating Room Time Renamed to Procedure Time, Information on X12-837, Changes to E-Code Reporting, Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Information
  • January
    SPARCS/AMI Announcement, Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Project Final Format, Heart Rate on Arrival, Systolic Blood Pressure on Arrival, Diastolic Blood Pressure on Arrival, Frequently Asked Questions on SPARCS/AMI Project

2006

  • March
    Annual Report Generator on HPN, SPARCS Statewide Training Sessions, Cartridge Submissions Not Accepted After June 30, 2006, Changes in Codes for Selected Data Elements, Data Quality Initiative, Requests for Deniable (Identifying) Data

2005

  • April
    Emergency Department Reporting, HPN accounts and Development, Reporting Regulations, X12-837 Format?, Data Quality Initiative, DPRB Schedule, Clarifications on Cardiac Catheterizations submissions, and Additional ICD9 Age Edits Updated

2004

  • December
    New Director of SPARCS Administrative Unit, 2002 Annual Report, Required Emergency Department Data Collection, HPN Accounts and Development, Data Completeness, and Seasons Greetings
  • April
    Edit Modified for Type of Bill, Patient Disposition/Status Code Update, Expanded Physician License Number Range, System Documentation Update, Emergency Department Data Collection, Automatic SPARCS Announcements and Bulletins, Additional Outpatient Edit Modifications as of 4/1/2004, and SPARCS5 Version 5.13 (Release 4/21/04) Available for Download

2003

  • December
    Emergency Department Edit Change for Error Code M0038, HIPAA & SPARCS Data Submission, Emergency Department Regulation Update, Health Provider Network (HPN) Data/Report Request, Coming Soon...SPARCS Web Update, and Seasons Greetings
  • October
    Data Submissions, Testing of HIPAA Compatible X12-837 Format Files is Now Available through the HPN, Request SPARCS Data/Reports on the HPN, New Patient Status Code, SPARCS Documentation Updates, and ICD-9-CM Reference File Update
  • August
    New Addresses for SPARCS Administrative & Production Control Units, Payer Identification Numbers, and Patient Status
  • July
    Emergency Department Data Collection, and SPARCS Edit Issues
  • June
    Data Submission, Emergency Department Data Collection, State and National Issues, SPARCS Goodies, and SPARCS News
  • March
    Emergency Department Data Collection, SPARCS Edit Issues, SPARCS5 Application, and Data Quality News
  • February
    2001 Annual Report, Emergency Department Data Collection, SPARCS5 DOS Application, SPARCS Edit Issues, and SPARCS Data Tidbit

2002

  • December
    Submission Issues, Year 2003 Changes Countdown, Massachusetts ED Collection Experiences, Data Validation, and Holiday Greetings
  • November
    Data Submissions, SPARCS Changes, Outpatient Edit, HIPAA Compatibility, and Data Quality
  • September
    Data Submissions, Ambulatory Surgery and Emergency Department Data Collection, HIPAA Compatibility Testing, ICD-9-CM Reference File, Patient Status Code Issues, Regulatory Changes, and Patient Safety Data Initiative
  • June
    Data Submission Issues, HIPAA Compatibility Issues, Emergency Department Data Collection, and Year 2003 Updates
  • March
    Proposed Emergency Department Data Collection System, HIPAA Compatibility Issues, New York State Uniform Billing Committee Meeting, and SPARCS Updates
  • February
    2000 Annual Report, Miscellaneous SPARCS Issues, HIPAA Delay, and Emergency Department Data Collection

2001

  • December
    Submissions Issues, Data Quality Issues, Legislative System Issues, and Holiday Greetings
  • October
    Data Submissions, HIPAA News, SPARCS System Issues, and SPARCS News
  • August
    Data Submissions, HIPAA News, SPARCS Documentation, and SPARCS5 Application
  • May
    Version 6 Format Issues, Data Submission Issues, DRG Issues, SPARCS Contact Information Updates Please
  • April
    Web Site News, HIPAA News, Proposed Emergency Department Legislation, and SPARCS Edit Issues
  • February
    HIPAA News, Version 6 Inpatient Files Now Being Accepted, Emergency Department Data Initiative, Source of Admission, and 1999 SPARCS Annual Report

2000

  • December
    Submission Issues, SPARCS Collection Issues,Communication News, Holiday Greeting
  • October
    Data Submissions, HIPAA News, SPARCS Changes, Web Site News
  • July
    Data Submissions, SPARCS 2001 Changes, and HIPAA News
  • May
    Anticipating HIPAA, Additional Internet Upload News, Error Corrections, and Data Submission Requirements
  • February
    Y2K A Report Card, Internet Upload News, Accommodation Codes, and Miscellaneous News

1999

  • December
    Welcome to the New Millennium, System Issues, and Holiday Greetings
  • November
    Internet Upload, SPARCS Changes, Future Bulletin Mailings, and Countdown to the Millennium
  • October
    Countdown To The Millennium, Internet Upload, System and Edit Changes, and Web Site News
  • July
    Countdown To The Millennium, Internet Upload, SPARCS Changes, Data Issue, Web Site News, and SPARCS Staff Member Retirement
  • May
    Countdown To The Millennium, Internet Upload, and Web Site News
  • March
    Year 2000 Update, Proposed SPARCS Edit Change, and Web Site Enhancements
  • February
    Countdown to the Millennium, Edit Change, Audit Report Enhancements, Standards Initiatives, 1997 SPARCS Annual Report, and Web Site Additions

1998

  • November
    Data Submissions, Year 2000 Issues, Site Visitations, UDS/IP Task Force, and Miscellaneous Items
  • September
    Data Submissions, Year 2000, Error Correction, HCRA Task Force Addressing Hospital Performance, and Internet News
  • July
    Data Submissions, National Standards, Year 2000 Issues, Internet News, 1999 Changes, and CMR Registry System
  • April
    SPARCS 1997 Data Submissions, 36 Track Cartridges, Year 2000 News, Internet News, and Reporting Issues
  • February
    Data Submissions, 1996 SPARCS Annual Report, 1998 Requirements and Why, UDS/IP Task Force Meeting, Department Initiative Update, and Internet News

1997

  • December
    Submission Issues, Data Collection Issues, Data Content Issues, and Internet News
  • October
    Data Submissions, Internet News, Department Initiative, and National Alert
  • July
    1996 Data Submissions, Outpatient Data, Internet News,Payer ID Codes, and Neonatal Birthweight
  • April
    SPARCS Public WEB Site, SPARCS Changes, SPARCS 1996 Data Submissions, and E-mail Preparation (EPS) Software
  • February
    1996 Status, Annual Reports, Data Quality, 1997 Changes, and Reporting Problems

1996

  • December
    Holiday Greetings, Legislative Review, Summary of 1997 Changes, Looking to 1997 and Beyond, and Vision for the Immediate Future
  • October
    Data Quality Issues, Documentation Updates, SPARCS Update Process, SPARCS Submission History Report, and National Issues of Note
  • August
    SPARCS Data Submissions, 1997 SPARCS Changes, SPARCS Update Process, and Swing Beds
  • June
    1995 Submissions, SPARCS Update Process, 1997 SPARCS Requirements, and New Proposed Edits
  • April
    Data Submissions, Coding Issues, HCNAPPS Application, and Data Quality Issues
  • March
    Data Quality and Edit Change for E-Codes
  • January
    New Year's Message, Edit Program Changes Effective 1/1/96, and All Facilities Need to Register Encryption Keys