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Specifications Manual for Joint Commission National Quality Measures (v2015A)
Home » Race

Release Notes:
Data Element
Version 2015A

Data Element Name: Race
Collected For: All Records
Definition:Documentation of the patient’s race.
Suggested Data Collection Question:What is the patient’s race?
Format:
Length:1
Type:Character
Occurs:1
Allowable Values:

Select one:

1     White: Patient’s race is White or the patient has origins in Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.

2    Black or African American: Patient’s race is Black or African American.

3    American Indian or Alaska Native: Patient’s race is American Indian/Alaska Native.

4    Asian: Patient’s race is Asian.

5    Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Patient’s race is Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.

6     RETIRED VALUE (effective 07-01-05 discharges)

7    UTD: Unable to determine the patient’s race or not stated (e.g., not documented, conflicting documentation or patient unwilling to provide).
Notes for Abstraction:
  • The data element Hispanic Ethnicity is required in addition to this data element.
  • If documentation indicates the patient has more than one race (e.g., Black-White, Indian-White), select the first listed race.
  • Although the terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” are actually descriptions of the patient’s ethnicity, it is not uncommon to find them referenced as race. If the patient’s race is documented only as Hispanic/Latino, select “White.” If the race is documented as mixed Hispanic/Latino with another race, use whatever race is given (e.g., Black-Hispanic – select “Black”). Other terms for Hispanic/Latino include Chicano, Cuban, H (for Hispanic), Latin American, Latina, Mexican, Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, and Spanish.
Suggested Data Sources:

  • Emergency department record
  • History and physical
  • Face sheet
  • Nursing admission assessment
  • Progress notes
Additional Notes:
Guidelines for Abstraction:
Inclusion Exclusion
Black or African American
A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. Terms such as “Haitian” or “Negro” can be used in addition to “Black or African American.”

American Indian or Alaska Native
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment (e.g., any recognized tribal entity in North and South America [including Central America], Native American.)

Asian
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.

White
A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa (e.g., Caucasian, Iranian, White).

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
A person having origins in any of the other original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

  • None

Race
Specifications Manual for Joint Commission National Quality Measures (v2015A)
Discharges 01-01-15 (1Q15) through 09-30-15 (3Q15)
Questions? Ask Question to Joint Commission staff Copyright © 2014 by The Joint Commission.
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