Document Type
Report
Publication Date
3-2011
Keywords
Access/Insurance, Maine, health, data, reform, MRHRC, health system reform
Abstract
Maine needs a robust and functional health data infrastructure to support efforts by health care providers and purchasers to improve quality, address Maine’s health care cost problems, and improve the health of individuals and populations through payment and delivery system reform. Although Maine has been a leader in building and using health data systems such as the hospital discharge data set and the all-payer claims database, new performance-based financing and delivery system arrangements are highlighting shortcomings in these systems and the need for a renewed vision of Maine’s future health data infrastructure.
The Health Data Workgroup was created by The Advisory Council for Health Systems Development (ACHSD) to address the stated goal of the 2010 – 2012 Maine State Health Plan to develop a “roadmap” for continuing to build Maine’s health data, analysis and research infrastructure to support health care payment and delivery system reform. This report presents the Workgroup’s recommendations. These recommendations focus on incremental steps needed to strengthen the capacity of Maine’s health data systems to support the key functions integral to new healthcare financing and delivery arrangements. Each of the recommendations is followed by a discussion of priority needs identified by the Workgroup and selected findings from the Workgroup’s background research and presentations to the Workgroup.
Funding Organization
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF)
Recommended Citation
Coburn, A. F. (2011). Providing better care at lower cost: Building Maine's health data infrastructure to support financing and delivery system reform. (Report of Maine's Health Data Workgoup). Augusta, ME: University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service.
