The HCUP processing number (PROCESS) is coded YYSSnnnnnnn, where:

• YY = discharge year,
• SS = state FIPS code, and
• nnnnnnn = a 7-digit sequence number.

PROCESS is assigned to each discharge record in the earliest stage of HCUP processing, so that it can be used to track records throughout production. PROCESS is kept on the HCUP files to facilitate the tracking of specific discharges back to the original raw data, should that be necessary. The data element PROCESS was discontinued in 1998.