How to Request Limited or Identifiable SPARCS Data

By Two Pillars & Co Advisory Group · Sources checked October 2026

When do you need limited or identifiable data?

Researchers, health systems and consultants sometimes need fields the public file removes, such as exact dates or secondary diagnoses. The Department makes more detailed data available under conditions designed to protect patients. The data access page describes three levels: public, limited and identifiable. Limited data contains indirect identifiers that are identifiable under HIPAA standards, and its requests are reviewed by SPARCS Operations staff. Identifiable data requests are reviewed by the data review group, the Data Governance Committee.^[1]

Before applying, check whether the public file can answer your question. A well-designed analysis of the public data often suffices, and avoiding the application saves weeks and fees. The earlier article on the contents of the public inpatient file lists exactly what is and is not included.

What does the application involve?

Applicants complete the SPARCS Limited and Identifiable Data Request Form, DOH-5132, which replaced earlier forms DOH-4385 and DOH-4395. The forms page also lists instructions, a requester checklist, organizational and individual data use agreements, security guidelines, publication guidelines and an amendment form to request changes, including additional years.^[2]

Requests and questions are no longer accepted by email. They go through the SPARCS Release knowledge center and ticketing system.^[1] Governance staff also host an open question-and-answer session on select Wednesdays from 2 to 3 p.m. to help with application questions. It does not cover application status, research assistance, data elements or submission questions.^[1] A good application states the research question, the fields needed and why the public file is insufficient, and describes how the data will be secured.

What does SPARCS data cost?

The data access page states the fees: inpatient data is $700 per year and outpatient data is $1,500 per year. Identifiable elements, if approved, carry different costs by element group. All Article 28 facilities that submit SPARCS data, federal and New York State agencies and SUNY and CUNY colleges are exempt. Nonprofits receive a 50 percent discount, and students using the data for a course may receive an additional 25 percent discount, which requires the professor to complete the application.^[1]

A quick example shows the scale. Three years of inpatient data and one year of outpatient data would be 3 × $700 + $1,500 = $3,600 at the standard rate, before any identifiable elements or discounts. The arithmetic is illustrative and applies the published per-year rates; applicants should confirm current fees with the program.

How does committee review work, and how long should you plan?

The Data Governance Committee was formed in September 2014 and reviews identifiable data requests, ensuring usability, security and availability. Its published 2025–26 meeting schedule lists December 16, 2025, and January 27, March 10, April 21, June 2, July 14, August 25, October 6, November 17 and December 15, 2026. Approved data transfers use IBM Aspera.^[3]

Because the committee meets roughly every six weeks, an identifiable request that misses one meeting may wait until the next. A planner should count back from a project deadline with that interval in mind, adding time to finish the data use agreements and security documents. The sources do not state how long staff review or a committee decision takes after submission, so applicants should ask during a question-and-answer session and treat any estimate as approximate.

What happens after approval?

Approval comes with conditions. Data use agreements limit how the data can be used and shared, security guidelines govern storage and transfer, and the publication guidelines require review of any public output before it is released. Those rules are the subject of the next article.^[2] Teams should build publication review into their project plan from the start, because the review can affect the date a result becomes public.

If a project later needs additional years or changes to the approved scope, the amendment form is the route. It is simpler to request the right years at the outset, since each amendment adds review time.

Frequently asked questions

What to do next

1. Check whether the public file can answer your question first.
2. Prepare the form, data use agreements and a clear project description.
3. Count back from your deadline using the committee calendar.
4. Plan publication review from the start.