To facilitate this process, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality should identify a limited number of priority conditions that affect many people and account for a sizable portion of the national health burden and associated expenditures. In identifying these priority conditions, the agency should consider using the list of conditions identified through the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2000). According to the most recent survey data, the top 15 priority conditions are cancer, diabetes, emphysema, high cholesterol, HIV/AIDS, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke, arthritis, asthma, gall bladder disease, stomach ulcers, back problems, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and depression and anxiety disorders. Health care organizations, clinicians, purchasers, and other stakeholders should then work together to (1) organize evidence-based care processes consistent with best practices, (2) organize major prevention programs to target key health risk behaviors associated with the onset or progression of these conditions, (3) develop the information infrastructure needed to support the provision of care and the ongoing measurement of care processes and patient outcomes, and (4) align the incentives inherent in payment and accountability processes with the goal of quality improvement.
These agreements bring more transparency to the various services each HHSC administrative support area provides and clarity to the business relationship support areas have with their HHSC and DSHS customers. The Support Service Agreements (SSA) ensure that there are clear expectations between HHSC administrative support areas and their customers, and that everyone understands the responsibilities each party brings to the business relationship. OTI manages the agreements and information for contacts, conducts surveys and prepares an executive report to provide continuous improvement to the SSAs process.
Executive Summary for The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement ....pdf
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