National health care surveys and health care management

The bulk of medical care in the United States is provided in hospitals, physicians' offices, and nursing homes. The National Center for Health Statistics conducts three health record surveys that collect information on patient and provider characteristics and the services provided in these three settings. This paper describes each of these three surveys in terms of background (scope and data set), design, collection, processing procedures, and data dissemination. In addition, specific examples of how the survey data have been or can be used for management purposes in terms of monitoring, evaluating, and planning the utilization of health care in the United States are given.