The Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED) provides a comprehensive dataset of the causes, effects and nature of illness, and the use of health services in Victoria. The VAED supports health service planning, policy formulation, epidemiological research and public hospital funding under the casemix system.
All Victorian public and private hospitals, including rehabilitation centres, extended care facilities and day procedure centres, report a minimum set of data for each admitted patient episode.
The VAED manual specifies data items, reporting guidelines, file format and validations for reporting to the VAED.
VAED manual
The VAED manual contains comprehensive information for hospitals on:
- data definitions for the data elements reported to the Victorian Admitted Dataset
- reporting requirements.
Current manual
VAED manual 2025-26 (all sections)
Previous manual
VAED manual 2024-25 (all sections)
VAED manual 2023-24 (all sections)
Please email hdss.helpdesk@health.vic.gov.au to access older manuals.
VAED criteria for reporting
The Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset: Criteria for Reporting document provides guidelines to enable health services to distinguish between admitted and non-admitted patient episodes for data reporting. To be reported to the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset (VAED) patient episodes of care must meet one of the Criteria for Admission outlined in this document. Patients not meeting any of these criteria are classified as non-admitted patients and data for these encounters should not be reported to the VAED.
This document should be read in conjunction with the VAED manual for the current year, together with any subsequent HDSS Bulletins which defines concepts, data fields and business rules relevant for reporting to the dataset.
Procedure lists will no longer be published on the HDSS web page in accordance with Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) jurisdictional licence agreements and will be available on request from hdss.helpdesk@health.vic.gov.au.
Reference files
See Reference files for lists of valid codes relevant to the VAED.
Inclusive collection and reporting of sex and gender data
This guidance note supports staff in Victorian health services to understand, plan and implement changes to sex and gender data reporting requirements. It provides guidance on how to collect patients’ sex and gender information respectfully and sensitively in line with the new requirements.
VAED testing notification form
VAED testing notification form(opens in a new window)
Late data forms
VAED late data notification form
Annual changes
Current financial year changes and proposals for changes to take effect from 1 July for the following financial year can be found at Annual changes.
Updated