What data set should a health record technician consult to ensure all federally required discharge data elements are collected?

The UHDDS, or Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set, is the correct choice because it was specifically developed to provide a standard set of data elements that must be collected for each hospital discharge. It outlines the information necessary for regulatory, reimbursement, and quality improvement purposes, ensuring compliance with federal reporting requirements. The UHDDS contains essential data elements such as patient demographics, diagnosis, procedures performed, and discharge status, which are vital for effective healthcare data management and reporting.

In contrast, the other options serve different purposes. For instance, CARD (Clinical Assessment and Reporting Data) is more focused on clinical data collection and reporting but does not encompass discharge data elements. DEEDS (Data Elements for Emergency Department Systems), primarily used in emergency department settings, does not apply to general hospital discharge data. UACDS (Uniform Ambulatory Care Data Set) pertains to outpatient settings, emphasizing data collection in ambulatory care rather than inpatient discharges. Thus, none of these alternatives fulfill the specific requirement of federally mandated discharge data collection like the UHDDS does.