Which data set should an outpatient clinic refer to ensure it collects all federally recommended data elements for Medicare and Medicaid?

The correct answer is C, UACDS, which stands for Uniform Ambulatory Care Data Set. This data set is specifically designed to capture essential demographic and clinical data elements for outpatient care, ensuring compliance with federal reporting standards for programs like Medicare and Medicaid. UACDS includes guidelines on what specific data elements should be collected for various outpatient services, facilitating the collection of data that is both standardized and necessary for effective healthcare service delivery in outpatient clinics.

In contrast, the other options serve different purposes. DEEDS (Data Elements for Emergency Department Systems) is tailored for emergency department settings and not applicable for outpatient clinics. EMEDS (Emergency Medical Services Data Set) focuses on capturing data related to emergency medical services, which would not encompass the broader scope needed for outpatient care. UHDDS (Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set) is intended for inpatient settings, reflecting data elements related to hospital discharges rather than outpatient encounters. Thus, UACDS is the suitable reference for outpatient clinics to ensure they meet federal data reporting requirements.