CHCS - Health Indicator System for Rhode Islanders on Medicaid

An Effective Model to Identify Unmet Health Care Needs andEvaluate Program Initiatives
Jane Griffin
Rhode Island Medicaid Research and Evaluation Project
April 2005

www.chcs.org/publications3960/publications_show.htm?doc_id=274656

The Rhode Island Department of Human Services developed and implemented a Health Indicator System to assess, design, monitor, and evaluate health services and program interventions for Rhode Islanders on Medicaid. Health Indicators are designed from existing public health data sets (e.g., adequacy of prenatal care from Vital Statistics Birth File and infant mortality from Vital Statistics Death File), state surveys of Medicaid enrollees (e.g., Unmet Health Care Needs of both children and adults with disabilities), and the Medicaid program data (e.g., Leading causes of hospitalizations from the MMIS).
Health Indicators are analyzed by insurance status in order to compare outcomes between privately and publicly insured Rhode Islanders. Indicators are developed from reliable data sets that are collected regularly so changes in health status can be measured.
The Health Indicator System in Rhode Island is unique because the state Medicaid program has integrated this model into its program operations and uses these measures to design and evaluate its ongoing program initiatives. Health Indicator Results and Reports are presented monthly to Medicaid program directors and staff at the Evaluation Studies Workgroup. This interdisciplinary workgroup provides a forum for researchers, planners,
and program managers to discuss which health indicators reflect unmet need for Medicaid enrollees and to select health indicators to track over time.
The Rhode Island Medicaid program has tracked several health indicators for the past 10 years and these results are included in this report:
• Adequacy of prenatal care
• Maternal smoking
• Short interbirth interval
• Infant mortality
• Teen repeat birth rate
• Low income uninsured children
• Mental health hospitalizations