What's New | September 26, 2012

State Health Care Legislation and Statewide Initiatives

State legislative initiatives play an important role in efforts to improve health care services and patient outcomes. Statewide programs that demonstrate the value of health care innovation can provide models for other states seeking to achieve similar goals.

The featured policy Innovations describe four different state programs- one that reduced hospital-acquired infection rates in New York, one that boosted hospital nurse staffing in California, one that supported development of patient-centered medical homes in Maryland, and a program that improved services for persons with mental illness in Florida.

The featured QualityTools include a toolkit for state health care reform, materials to support state efforts in reducing avoidable rehospitalizations, and an online dashboard about state initiatives in health information technology.

Featured Innovations:

• Self-Directed Budget for Health and Other Services Enhances Ability of Those with Mental Illness to Function and Live Independently

• State-Mandated Nurse Staffing Levels Alleviate Workloads, Leading to Lower Patient Mortality and Higher Nurse Satisfaction

• State-Mandated Tracking and Public Reporting Reduce Incidence and Costs of Common Hospital-Acquired Infections
with Expert Commentary

• Statewide Program Offers Technical and Financial Support to Physician Practices, Enabling Them to Become Medical Homes and Improve Access and Quality

Featured QualityTools:

• Health Reform Toolkit Series: Resources From the Massachusetts Implementation Experience
Developed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation

• HIMSS State HIT Dashboard
Developed by Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society

• STate Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR) Materials
Developed by Institute for Healthcare Improvement

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Also in This Issue:

Innovations >

• Electronic Alerts, Patient Education, and Performance Reports Improve Adherence to Guideline Designed to Reduce Early Elective Inductions

• Fun, Interactive Classes Emphasize Easy-to-Understand Messages, Leading to Enhanced Knowledge About Healthy Behaviors in Elementary School Children
with Story

• Health System Makes Annual Influenza Immunization a Condition of Ongoing Employment, Leading to Near-Complete Vaccination of Workforce

• Major Health Systems Collaborate on Organizational Structures and Policies, Enhancing Access to Care and Reducing Uncompensated Care Costs for the Uninsured

• Statewide Campaign Provides Education and Technical Support to City Officials, Leading to Policies That Promote Healthy Behaviors

• Surgical Hospitalist Model Enhances Access to Surgical Consultations, Increases Physician Perceptions of Quality at Academic Medical Center

• Verizon Encourages Health Plans to Identify and Address Disparities, Leading to Enhanced Access to Information and Services for Minorities

• Instant Access to Clinical Information From Other Providers Leads to Reports of Higher Quality and Lower Costs for Medicaid Beneficiaries
with Story

QualityTools >

• Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
Developed by Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health

• Implementation Toolsets for E-Prescribing
Developed by RAND Corporation

• National Healthcare Safety Network
Developed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention