1. (a) Magnetic Media. A discharge report may be filed on computer diskettes, nine track tapes or other magnetic media approved by the executive director. All discharges shall be reported using the same file and record formats specified in §1301.19 of this title (relating to Discharge Reports--Records, Data Fields and Codes) regardless of medium.

   1. (1) Media specifications are:

      1. (A) Diskette: MS-DOS formatted; PC Text file (ASCII); 3.5 inch diskette, 1.4 megabyte, high density.
      2. (B) Nine track tape: Density = 1600 or 6250 BPI, nine track; Collating sequence = EBCDIC; Labeling = IBM standard or facsimile.
      3. (C) Other magnetic media: Discharge reports may be filed on other magnetic media only with the prior written approval of the executive director. The executive director will not normally approve any medium which the Council is not currently equipped to read.

   2. (2) Hospitals shall submit no more than one tape or two diskettes per submission, with the following external identification affixed as listed in subparagraphs (A)-(G) of this paragraph:

      1. (A) hospital name;
      2. (B) facility identifier (THCIC 6 digit identifier);
      3. (C) reporting period for discharges;
      4. (D) number of transaction sets;
      5. (E) tape density: 1600/6250 BPI (if applicable);
      6. (F) collating sequence for tapes (if applicable);
      7. (G) the description: "DISCHARGE DATA."
   3. (3) Data for more than one hospital may be submitted on a single tape if the submitter provides external identification items (A) through (D) for each hospital.
   4. (4) In addition to the provisions of this section, the Council shall document instructions for filing discharge reports on magnetic media and shall make this documentation available to hospitals at no charge and to the public for the cost of reproduction. The Council shall notify hospitals or their designated agents directly in writing at least 90 days in advance of any change in instructions for filing discharge reports on magnetic media. The Council's instructions shall follow Department of Information Resources standards for magnetic media established under 1 TAC Chapter 201.
2. (b) Electronic Data Interchange. Discharge reports may be filed by modem using electronic data interchange (EDI). All discharges shall be reported using the same file and record formats specified in §1301.19 of this title (relating to Discharge Reports--Records, Data Fields and Codes) regardless of the medium of transmission, unless the hospital has obtained an exemption authorized by §1301.15 of this title (relating to Exemptions from Filing). The Council shall document instructions for filing discharge reports by EDI and shall make this documentation available to hospitals at no charge and to the public for the cost of reproduction. The Council shall notify hospitals and their designated agents directly in writing at least 90 days in advance of any change in instructions for filing discharge reports by EDI. The Council's instructions shall follow Department of Information Resources standards for EDI.

Source Note:The provisions of this §421.4 adopted to be effective August 19, 1997, 22 TexReg 7490; amended to be effective December 29, 1997, 22 TexReg 12494; amended to be effective July 6, 2003, 28 TexReg 4915; transferred effective September 1, 2004, as published in the Texas Register September 10, 2004, 29 TexReg 8842.