File - Understanding Data Release Levels Current Health

Data is most valuable when it can be compared to other datasets. Standardization ensures that data can be interpreted consistently across time and context. Clearly defining and communicating aspects of standardization—such as release levels—is essential to interpreting data accurately and supporting agency-wide consistency. A <B>Release Level</B> is a designation indicating the maturity and finality of a dataset at the time of release. Release levels are a type of metadata assigned to all data assets managed by the Department of Health. All release levels may refer to either aggregate or record-level datasets and datasets shared internal to the government agency or external (i.e., to the public). All reports or data products, other than live data feeds, produced by the Department of Health are a static snapshot of the data at a specific date and time when produced. It is recommended to always reference the “last updated” date. Showing when data were “last updated” helps people know how recent the information is, whether it reflects current conditions, and how things may have changed when comparing different data releases.