FAQs: Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Synthetic Data Set (SDS)

General

Q1: When does Antimicrobial Resistance (AR) Synthetic Data Set (SDS) Validation start?

Vendors may send the NHSN SDS Team passing AR Summary (i.e., denominator) and AR Event (i.e., numerator) SDS Excel files to receive confirmation of successful AR SDS Validation beginning in 2022. Both files need to be sent at the same time for processing.

Beginning in January 2023, NHSN will require all production AR Summary and AR Event Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) files contain an SDS Validation ID, provided by the NHSN SDS Team after successful validation, and Vendor (Application) Object Identifier (OID). The NHSN application will reject AR Summary and AR Event CDA files without this information.

 

Q2: Where can I find the AR Synthetic Data Set?

The NHSN SDS Team provides the AR Synthetic Data Set and detailed instructions for its use for download on the Synthetic Data Set Validation webpage.

 

Q3: Are any vendors grandfathered in?

No. NHSN will require all vendors, regardless if they’ve been preparing and submitting AR CDA files for their facilities for years, to complete the AR SDS Validation process. This includes “homegrown” internal facility information technology (IT) or informatics groups/vendors.

 

Q4: I’m a “homegrown” vendor. Do I still need to participate in the SDS process?

Yes. NHSN will require facilities that create their AR CDA files in-house using their own “homegrown” IT or informatics resources to go through the AR SDS Validation process. Please note that “homegrown” vendors also need to obtain a Vendor OID, which is separate from the Facility OID. See question 9 below regarding Vendor OID.

 

 Q5: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) already certified my software. Why do I need to go through the AR SDS Validation process?

The AR SDS process is specifically for testing whether your software properly compiles and aggregates AR data following the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (AUR) Module Protocol definitions. This is separate and distinct from obtaining ONC Certification for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Promoting Interoperability Program, which simply tests whether the software can produce Antimicrobial Use (AU) and AR CDA files that pass basic schema validation. For additional information on Promoting Interoperability (formerly called Meaningful Use) as it relates to NHSN AUR reporting please see the NHSN Promoting Interoperability Program webpage.

 

 Q6: Will NHSN require SDS Validation for other types of data?

Currently, NHSN only requires vendors to complete the SDS Validation process for AU Option and AR Option CDAs.

 

 Q7: I work at a facility that reports AR Option data to NHSN. How does this initiative affect me?

It’s important for facilities to be aware of the AR SDS Validation requirements and the validation status of their vendor. However, NHSN does not require any direct actions from facilities using a vendor to submit AR Option data to NHSN. NHSN encourages facilities to ask their vendor about their AR SDS Validation timeline to ensure it meets the 2023 requirement (see question 1). If you are searching for an AR Option CDA vendor for your facility, please review the guidance in question 23.

Vendor OID and SDS Validation ID

Q8: I already include the Facility OID in my AR CDA files. Do I still need a Vendor OID?

The Vendor (Application) OID is different from the Facility OID. The NHSN application uses the Facility OID to identify the facility in each CDA file so the data can be uploaded into the appropriate NHSN facility. NHSN uses the Vendor OID to track the SDS Validation status of vendors and their software.

 

 Q9: How do I obtain a Vendor OID?

CDC’s Public Health Information Network Helpdesk assigns the Vendor (Application) OID. The Vendor OID is unique for each Vendor. You can find instructions for obtaining a Vendor OID on the Vendor OID webpage.

 

 Q10: Will I use a single Vendor OID on all AR files created by my software?

Yes. The Vendor (Application) OID is specific to the vendor. All AR CDAs produced by your software will include the same Vendor (Application) OID.

 

Q11: I also participate in AU SDS. Will the Vendor OID for AR SDS be the same as I use for AU SDS?

Yes. The Vendor (Application) OID is specific to the vendor. All AR CDAs produced by your software will include the same Vendor (Application) OID.

 

Q12: Will I use the same SDS Validation ID on both the AR Event and AR Summary files?

Yes. The SDS Validation ID will be the same for both file types. All AR CDAs produced by your software will include the same SDS Validation ID.

Using the AR Synthetic Data Set

Q13: Why is the Synthetic Data Set in Comma Separated Values (CSV) and My Structured Query Language (MySQL) format?

We chose the two source data formats, CSV and MySQL database export, because these are common formats and most vendors can import these formats with minimal effort compared to other formats.

 

Q14: I’ve processed the Synthetic Data Set through my software application and created the AR Summary Excel file of the aggregated AR data and the AR Event SDS Excel file of the compiled AR data. What do I do next?

Upload the AR Summary SDS Excel file to the NHSN AR Summary Validation Website to validate the aggregated AR data against the answer key. You can complete this step as many times as needed to obtain an error-free file.

Upload the AR Event SDS Excel file to the NHSN AR Event Validation Website to validate the compiled AR data against the answer key. You can complete this step as many times as needed to obtain an error-free file.

 

Q15: I’ve received errors after uploading my AR SDS Excel files into the validation websites. Where do I go for help interpreting them?

Please see Appendix 1. Validation Rules in the AR SDS Instructions document downloadable on the Synthetic Data Set Validation webpage. If you still have questions, send them to NHSNCDA@cdc.gov.

 

 Q16: I’ve internally tested my AR SDS Excel files using the NHSN AR validation websites and received no errors. What do I do next?

Send those same AR SDS Excel files and the following information to NHSNCDA@cdc.gov:

• Vendor (Application) OID (instructions for obtaining OID)
• Vendor Name
• Vendor Software Name
• Vendor Software Version/Release
• Technical Point of Contact (one primary person but you may cc others on file submission emails)
• Vendor Website (optional)

If any of the information above is missing, the NHSN Team will not process your request.

AR CDA Author Section

Q17: How should the author section of the AR CDA be set up?

Once the vendor receives notification from the NHSN Team that both AR SDS Excel files passed validation, the SDS Validation ID and vendor information can be included in the author section of AR CDA files. Below is an example of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) coding of the author field.

 

Q18: Which author fields does the NHSN application require in the AR CDA files?

The NHSN application requires vendors to populate the assigned author ID root and extension in the AR CDA file per the Implementation Guide. Vendor name, vendor software name, software version, and release are currently optional fields. The NHSN Team encourages vendors to include these additional fields to assist with troubleshooting. The table below contains the XML Path (XPath) Language for the author section within the AR CDA files.

Re-Validation Requirements

Q19: How often do I need to re-validate?

The NHSN Team expects vendors to complete the AR SDS Validation process once per software version. All client facilities using the same software version will have the same information in the author fields of their AR CDA files. The NHSN Team expects to have vendors re-validate only when NHSN makes major changes to the AR Option Protocol.

 

Q20: If I change my software, do I need to re-validate?

Vendors should re-validate only when they make major changes to their software that affect AR Summary data aggregation or AR Event data compilation.

 

Q21: I have three different versions of the same software in production across multiple client facilities. Do I need to validate all of them?

Yes. Vendors should validate each version of their software. NHSN will post vendor information, including software name and software version/release, on the NHSN AR SDS website.

Posting of Successful Vendors

Q22: How will my clients know if I’ve passed AR SDS Validation?

NHSN posts a list of vendors that have passed AR SDS Validation on the NHSN AR SDS website.

 

Q23: How long will it take to post vendor information on the NHSN website?

Once the NHSN Team receives the AR SDS Excel files, they will record the vendor information, test the files, document the findings, and then submit passing vendor information for website posting. The NHSN Team anticipates it could take up to two months from the time a vendor sends successful AR SDS Excel files to the time their information posts on the website.

 

Q24: What is the difference between the vendors shown on the NHSN AR SDS website and the vendors shown on the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists website?

The Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists website lists vendors that self-identify as providing services and software that allow NHSN AUR Module participation. The NHSN AR SDS website lists vendors that completed the NHSN AR SDS validation process for their AR reporting solution. The validation process involves vendors using the AR Synthetic Data Set to demonstrate that their system can properly aggregate and compile AR data following the AUR Module Protocol definitions. The NHSN application will require AR SDS Validation for all AR CDA vendors beginning in 2023.