Compass Frequently Asked Questions

Compass is the Texas Hospital Association’s data sharing program in which participants submit quarterly inpatient, outpatient procedure and ER discharge data to THA.

THA reviews the data for errors and works with hospitals to make any needed corrections before submitting the records to the Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) to satisfy the state reporting mandate under Chapter 108 of the Texas Health and Safety Code.

Once processed, normalized and aggregated, data is returned to all Compass participants through data visualization and analytics tools that support strategic planning, market analysis and physician patterns.

Compass is made up of acute care hospitals, ASCs and Free-Standing Emergency Departments across Texas. Click here to view the full list of participants.

Participants include hospitals of all sizes – from large health systems to rural and community hospitals. As more facilities contribute their data, the value of Compass grows by creating a comprehensive view of health care utilization across the state.

Compass collects hospital discharge and encounter data consistent with the reporting requirements established by Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) under Chapter 108 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and Chapter 421, Title 25, Part 1 of the Texas Administrative Code.

Participating facilities are required to submit all inpatient encounters. In addition, outpatient claims must be submitted for specific revenue codes, including services such as emergency department visits, surgical procedures, and radiological procedures.

The submission process is designed to align with data hospitals already maintain for reporting and operational purposes. The Compass team works directly with each hospital to ensure the process is clear and efficient.

Compass accepts two file formats for submitting claims data:

• 837 File Format (Preferred)
• This is the standard electronic claims format required by Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) for discharge reporting.

• S1 Flat File Format
• The S1 format provides an alternative “flat file” structure that allows participants to submit claims data in a simplified layout.

While both formats are accepted, the 837 format is preferred because it aligns directly with the THCIC reporting specification.

To ensure a smooth transition, each hospital or health system will be assigned an onboarding timeframe between June 2026 and August 2027. Compass fees will be prorated based on the completed onboarding. The THA Compass team will reach out directly to each facility with its assigned onboarding window and next steps.

During onboarding, THA will work with the hospital’s designated contacts to set up the data submission process, validate the initial data files and activate access to the Compass analytics tools. This phased approach allows hospitals to onboard in a structured way while ensuring adequate support throughout the process.

1. Data collection and regulatory compliance:
   Access to a secure web-based data submission portal to submit quarterly claims data, audit and correct errors. Compass submits the quarterly claims data to THCIC on the hospital’s behalf.
2. Data analytics:
   Access to the Market Share & Trending module – a data visualization and analytics tool that provides insights to market share, patient outmigration, and physician loyalty.
3. Access to the “combined” dataset, which combines the THCIC dataset and THA Compass dataset.

Two primary groups within hospitals commonly use the Compass program:

1. Data Submitters
   These individuals manage the quarterly data submission process. They typically work in roles such as:
   • Information Technology (IT)
   • Health Information Management (HIM)
2. Analytics Users
   These individuals use Compass analytics to inform strategy and planning. They may include:
   • Strategic planning teams
   • Business development leaders
   • Physician relations teams
   • Service line administrators
   • Executive leadership

Full Compass participation for all THA members ensure the program contains a more complete claims dataset and strengthens THA’s ability to support members through data-driven advocacy and policy efforts. While not a binding requirement, participation is strongly encouraged. The vast majority of THA hospitals participate.

Compass participants have access to a combined dataset that includes both the Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) data and the THA Compass dataset.

There are two key advantages:

1. More timely data
   Compass participants receive access to the combined dataset about two quarters earlier than the THCIC data release. The Compass dataset is typically available about 90 days after the close of each quarter, allowing hospitals to make strategic decisions using more current data.
2. Greater physician insight
   In the THCIC dataset, physician identifiers are masked. In the Compass dataset, physician identifiers are not masked, allowing hospitals to analyze physician case volumes.

In November 2025, the THA Board of Trustees approved a plan to incorporate THA Membership and Compass Participation as part of a larger initiative to enhance the resources and capabilities of THA to best advocate for our members at the state and federal levels.

Expanding Compass’ footprint to include all THA hospitals allows the association to have rich, complete data to better protect and advocate for the industry. A more robust data set helps THA make its case, on behalf of hospitals, to Congress, the Legislature and the general public. Hard data points are the best defense against bad bills and policies that ultimately hurt hospitals’ bottom line. To effectively represent Texas hospitals, THA must have the ability use statewide hospital data.

Supporting Use Cases Include:

1. Countering Misleading Cost Narratives – Use claims data to analyze total cost of care, patient acuity, case mix, service utilization patterns and cost drivers.
2. Demonstrating Community Impact & Access to Care – Track service utilization by geography, payer type, demographics and specialty (OB, behavioral health, trauma, etc.).
3. Modeling Policy Before It Becomes Law – Run financial impact simulations on proposed legislation or regulatory changes using real claims data.
4. Strengthening Negotiating Leverage & Industry Credibility – Aggregate, de-identified claims insights to establish authoritative statewide benchmarks.

As part of the board’s decision to integrate the Compass Data Program with THA membership, the Compass billing cycle is now aligned with the THA membership renewal timeline to streamline administration and support the association’s advocacy efforts.

Beginning in August 2026, the Compass Data Program billing cycle will align with the Texas Hospital Association membership dues cycle. Compass invoices will be issued in August, covering the program period from September through August of the following year. This alignment simplifies billing and allows Compass participation to follow the same annual timeline as THA membership.

Yes, the THA membership dues structure will change in 2026 to support THA advocacy efforts. A personalized estimate will be sent to each member before invoices are sent in August 2026.

Please contact the Service Center at [email protected] or (512) 465-1057.

Please contact [email protected].

Compass hosts quarterly webinars designed to help participants better understand and apply the insights available in the Market Share & Trending tool.

Participants can schedule individualized training sessions with a product expert to receive a personalized walkthrough of the quarterly claims data collection platform or the analytics tool. If interested, please contact [email protected].