Which of the following documents serves to define common uniform data elements across inpatient hospitals?

The Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS) is designed to standardize the collection of data across inpatient hospital settings. It provides a uniform set of data elements that ensures consistency in how patient information is documented and reported in hospitals. The UHDDS includes specific elements such as patient demographics, diagnoses, procedures, and discharge status, which are essential for healthcare quality reporting and analysis. By establishing common terminology and definitions, the UHDDS facilitates data aggregation, comparison, and research across different healthcare facilities, making it a crucial tool for healthcare organizations aiming to maintain uniformity in data collection practices. This standardization is key to improving the quality of care and ensuring effective health information management.

Other documents mentioned, such as ORYX, UACDS, and MDS, serve different purposes and may focus on specific aspects of healthcare data or apply to different settings. For example, ORYX relates to performance measurement, UACDS is geared towards outpatient care, and MDS is specific to long-term care facilities. While each of these plays an important role in the overall landscape of health data, the UHDDS specifically addresses inpatient settings and is the correct reference for standardizing data elements across those environments.