Decision Tools

Abstract: Claims data are an important source of data for public health surveillance but have not been widely used in the United States because of concern with personally identifiable health information and other issues. We describe the development and availability of a new set of public use files created using de-identified health care claims for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, including individuals 65 years and older and individuals with disabilities younger than 65 years, and their application as tools for public health surveillance.

“Leading through Health System Change: A Public Health Opportunity” is a planning tool that has been designed to assist public health leaders in thinking strategically about the future in light of the changes created by the Affordable Care Act.

Please visit www.acaplanningtool.com for more information.

The goal of Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) is to provide an overview of key health indicators for local communities and to encourage dialogue about actions that can be taken to improve a community’s health. The CHSI report was designed not only for public health professionals but also for members of the community who are interested in the health of their community. The CHSI report contains over 200 measures for each of the 3,141 United States counties.

During this health system evolution, and in the current fiscal climate, public officials are looking for solid evidence of what works to guide their funding and policy decisions. And researchers doing PHSSR want to contribute evidence to guide and assess this decision- making. However, the timely distribution of evidence is inhibited by such barriers as the lengthy process for, and traditional focus on, peer-reviewed publication. In other words, doing relevant, high quality research is necessary but not sufficient to making a difference in improving population health.