INFOSHP Program Focus

An Opportunity To Engage Policymakers Turning valuable health statistics into workable information for state policy makers is the focus of a national grant program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation called Information for State Health Policy. Grantees under the program within Phase I were charged with the following: 1) assessment of their health policy, program development and management information needs, 2) establishment of plans and priorities for meeting those needs, and 3) improving their health statistics infrastructures. Phase II of the program (implementation phase) began October 1993. Seven of the initial ten states participating in Phase I have been awarded four-year grants of up to one million dollars. These grants are to assist in the implementation of data system improvements by either enhancing existing data systems or forming new systems based on high priority information needs identified during Phase I.

Numerous examples exist of how state data agencies can support decision- making successfully. However, no single state appears to have acomprehensive health statistics system that is responsive to policymakers' needs. Rather, in most states, data collection agencies lack the human and technological resources necessary to provide high quality, quick responses to the broad spectrum of questions posed by decision-makers. In many states, agencies responsible for data systems do not coordinate with those responsible for policy development and program management. This limits the flexibility of data agencies to anticipate and respond to emerging policy concerns.

The implementation grants in Phase II are designed to help state policymakers make the most informed decisions about health care programs by improving the integration of data, long-range planning efforts, and ongoing policy activities. As part of the program, each state has established an interagency workgroup that includes analysts from state agencies, the legislature, state health program managers, health data agency representatives, representatives of private sector organizations, consumer groups, local health agency representatives, elected officials, health care providers, payers, and health program administrators. In Phase I, the IWG was charged with:

reviewing state informational needs for health policy development and program management
setting priorities among those needs
establishing short-term and long-term plans for meeting identified needs
developing a specific proposal for enhancing an existing data system(s) or creating a new one(s) to meet high priority information needs

Within Phase II, the continuance of the Interagency Working Groups will help ensure appropriate integration of policy and program activities in states' long-range planning processes. Phase II grant funds are to be used to develop and test the planned data system improvements for data collection and processing, the training of personnel, and for data analysis and dissemination. States are expected to support the ongoing activities of the IWG during Phase II and provide additional matching support for the project. Matching support may constitute an increasing share of total project support over the course of project implementation. Projects are expected to be completely self-supporting -- by state revenue or other regular sources of funding -- by the end of Foundation funding.

States selected for Phase II funding were recognized for the following initiatives:

Arkansas Center for Health Statistics: Address fiscal issues inclusive of insurance reform and cost containment; focus on teenage pregnancy, infant mortality and low birthweights
California Health and Welfare Agency: Improved access to primary care services
Mississippi Office of the Governor, Division of Medicaid: Improved health care access, utilization of inpatient care, Medicare funds; coordination of preventive and primary ambulatory care
New York Department of Health: Increased access to health care, detailed information on special populations, health status and coverage, and studying substance services use and costs
North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources: Constraint of escalating health care costs; focus on maternal/child health and long term care
South Carolina Division of Research and Statistical Services: Improved access to health care through improved insurance coverage and evaluating and improving the quality of care in a cost effective manner though informed decision making
Wisconsin Center for Health Statistics: Reduce the need for acute care though preventive services for pregnant women and infants, children, and approved use of long term care for people with chronic conditions

The Information for State Health Policy Program is directed for the Foundation by Ira Kaufman, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Community Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Information for State Health Policy Program
Revised: Dec. 15, 1998
Home Page URL: http://www2.umdnj.edu/shpp/homepage.htm