A new AcademyHealth report - How States Can Be Successful In Leading Health Care Delivery System Reform - examines the experience of 8 states (Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington) that recently pursued cost containment, quality improvement, and payment reforms. The report offers insight into what can make reform efforts successful at the state level, as well as the types of barriers that can prevent progress.
The report examines the efforts of several pioneering states that participated in the State Quality Improvement Institute (SQII). Designed by AcademyHealth with support from The Commonwealth Fund, the SQII advised and accelerated state quality improvement efforts in participating states. All of the states participating in the SQII pursued the same overall objective: to achieve better value in their health care systems (i.e., higher quality health care at a lower cost). Nevertheless, they varied in their approaches and accomplishments. This brief draws some conclusions about those differences, and provides some “lessons learned” for technical assistance providers and others who seek to help make state reform efforts successful.
