Requests to link SPARCS hospital discharge data to Vital Records data is only considered with requests for identifiable data files. Limited data file requests cannot be linked to Vital Records data.
In New York State (NYS), there are two different jurisdictions:
- New York City (NYC), which includes the five counties of Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens and Richmond (Staten Island).
- New York State outside of New York City (Rest of State/ROS), which encompasses the remaining 57 counties
In addition to marking the appropriate section in your SPARCS data request application, you must submit a separate applications to each jurisdiction to use/link SPARCS data.
To request an application:
- ROS data, email vrdata@health.ny.gov or call 1-855-322-1022.
- NYC data, visit Vital Statistics Data (nyc.gov) or email vsdata@health.nyc.gov.
Important notes about linking SPARCS data to vital event data:
- Calendar year 2014 and forward is available for linking (prior years are not available)
- If an applicant is approved to link NYC vital event data to SPARCS data, NYC does not allow the release of line level address by the SPARCS program
- ROS only releases mortality/death data
- NYC releases birth and death data
- NYC does not allow the release of line level address by the SPARCS program if applicant is approved to link NYC vital event data to SPARCS data
- Vital event data will only be released once approval letters from each jurisdiction are provided
The SPARCS program does coordinate release of data with both jurisdictions; however, we are not responsible or involved in the review of vital event data applications. Please direct any questions about those applications to the respective jurisdictions.
The NYS Department of Health is responsible for linking SPARCS data to both ROS and NYC birth and death data. Therefore, applicants should not ask for identifiers to link this data for their research.
If approved, applicants will receive their approved SPARCS data file and a vital event ‘skinny file’ that contains SPARCS Claim Transaction IDs and the approved vital event data elements. The applicant will be responsible for combining the two files by joining on Claim Transaction ID.