Individual Healthcare Identifier NBEDS 2022-23

Identifying and definitional attributes

• Health, Standard 20/10/2021

The scope of the Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) national best endeavours data set (NBEDS) is episodes of care for patients reported against health metadata sets (including national minimum data sets (NMDSs) and NBEDSs) provided by states and territories to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority.

Collection and usage attributes

Each person's Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) is unique within the Australian healthcare system.

The IHI is part of the Australian Government's digital health initiative developed to enhance the way information is exchanged, shared and managed in the Australian health sector. Electronic identifiers and the systems underpinning them were developed and are maintained by the Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service. 

An IHI is automatically assigned to all individuals registered with Medicare Australia or enrolled in the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) programs. Those not enrolled in Medicare Australia or with the DVA are assigned a temporary number when they next seek health care; this is then validated by the HI Service Operator and becomes their unique IHI.

Each IHI has a Record Status; this describes whether verification of the identifier of the individual has occurred and is based on the evidence available of a person's identity.

The IHI number does not change regardless of the person's Record Status.

Each IHI also has a Number Status; this describes whether the IHI number is in use.

Authorised healthcare providers and their authorised staff can access an individual's Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) online through the HI Service at the Australian Government Services Australia website.

National reporting arrangements

State and territory health authorities may report IHI data on a best-efforts basis to the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority. Any IHI data submission should occur as part of the related national minimum data set or national best endeavours data set data submissions:

Activity based funding: Mental health care NBEDS 2022–23

Admitted patient care NMDS 2022–23

Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2022–23

Emergency service care NBEDS 2022-23

Non-admitted patient emergency department care NMDS 2022–23

Non-admitted patient NBEDS 2022–23

The IHI is an Australian Government's digital health initiative and supports the accurate retrieval, discovery and recording of an individual's electronic health information, as part of the delivery of healthcare in Australia.

Source and reference attributes

Independent Hospital Pricing Authority

Relational attributes