THCIC Rural Exemption is coming to an end

Since the inception of the Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) Agency, rural hospitals have been exempt from submitting data to the state if they met certain criteria. During the state’s 2011 Legislative session, Senate Bill 7 repealed the sections of the Texas Health and Safety Code that allowed for exceptions.



Effective Oct. 1, 2014, rural hospitals that have previously been exempt from state reporting will be required to submit data to THCIC. This includes all inpatient discharge data, ambulatory surgery procedures and radiological events.

Rural hospitals are smaller than urban hospitals, usually with less than 25 beds. Regardless of facility size, rural hospitals must maintain a broad range of services to meet the healthcare needs of their community. According to Rural Healthy People 2010, many rural patients are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions.

Numerous research projects and studies will be developed around rural health once the data is available through the THCIC Public Use Data File (PUDF). Data collection benefits include:
• Public Health Planning;
• Community Needs Assessments;
• Quality Assessments;
• Informing Policy.

The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation’s Information and Quality Services Center (IQSC) is experienced in working with rural hospitals. We have been assisting hospitals meet state data submission requirements for 14 years. We would be happy to lend a helping hand for those in need of assistance. For information, please contact Theresa Mendoza at tmendoza@dfwhcfoundation.org.