(a) Reporting facilities may file a request with the Department for modifications to Hospital Discharge Abstract Data, Emergency Care Data, or Ambulatory Surgery Data reporting requirements. The modification request shall be supported by a detailed justification of the hardship that full reporting of data would have on the reporting facility; an explanation of attempts to meet data reporting requirements; and a description of any other factors that might justify a modification. Modifications may be approved for no more than one year. Modifications to the data reporting requirements must be approved before data to which they apply will be accepted. Any modifications to reporting requirements are subject to disclosure to data users.

(b) In determining whether a modification to data reporting requirements will be approved, the Department shall consider the information provided pursuant to subsection (a) and evaluate whether the requested modifications would impair the Department's ability to process the data or interfere with the purposes of the data reporting programs under the Act.

(c) Reporting facilities that did not have any discharges or encounters that are required to be reported pursuant to Section 97213(a) for a specific report period must inform the Department by using the No Data to Report screen available in the Department's online submission system or by submitting a completed No Data to Report form (HCAI-OIS-772 Rev. August 2023). The information must be submitted on or before the required due date of the report period.

(d) Any facility that is not licensed to provide inpatient care, or does not provide Emergency Care encounters, or does not provide outpatient procedures, or is not licensed as a surgical clinic, and from whom such reporting is not therefore expected, is not required to file a No Data to Report form.