Although the importance of addressing behavioral health, including mental health, has long been recognized, the onset of COVID-19 brought it into greater focus. This is also true in Colorado, where use of behavioral health services via telemedicine spiked rapidly and grew dramatically throughout 2020. In recognition of May being Mental Read more
Incidence of Cancer Diagnoses in the Rocky Flats Region Following WWII, the United States and Soviet Union found themselves locked in a superpower dynamic, with each relentlessly battling for geopolitical and military superiority. The Rocky Flats plant near Denver, Colorado was constructed in 1952 to manufacture nuclear weapons parts and Read more
Prescription drug spending is a leading contributor to rising health care costs across the United States. Increasingly, consumers, medical professionals, insurers, legislators, and other stakeholders are identifying rising prescription drug costs as a priority to address health care spending. According to a study released earlier this year, three in four Read more
With CIVHC’s Community Dashboard, users can identify how performance in critical health measures varies across Colorado communities and where the most significant opportunities lie for improvement and impact. Providers, payers, consumers, and other stakeholders can examine several aspects of care including cost, use of preventative services, utilization and access to Read more
Evaluation of one sort or another is built into nearly all industries, though it could slide in under many names: “How’d we do?” surveys, annual employee reviews, or profit and loss statements. Each type of evaluation is intended to identify and measure the processes, outcomes, and impacts of a product, Read more
Impact of Respite Care for Persons Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia Many are familiar with Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disease that deteriorates your memory and other mental functions. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, every 65 seconds someone in the US develops Alzheimer’s, and it is becoming more prevalent Read more
The Ask the Analyst series is a deep dive into the data by those most familiar with the CO APCD – the analysts themselves. We’ll hear about their experiences with recent analyses and answer any pressing questions that come up. Have a question for the CIVHC Analyst Team? Email it Read more
CIVHC’s Affordability Dashboard has an updated Low Value Care analysis which identifies health care services that are often costly, do not improve health, and can in some instances cause harm. The analysis, which evaluated 48 potentially low value services — including certain treatments, diagnostic tests, and screenings — found that Read more
Recently updated recommendations urge more Coloradans to receive screenings Colorectal Cancer is the fourth most common type of new cancer diagnoses in Colorado at a rate of just over 30 people for every 100,000. For Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, we are taking a look at recent changes to Read more
Economic Value of 9Health Screenings The 1970’s saw a number of technological and medical innovations (computer assisted tomography (CAT Scans), Chicken Pox vaccine, Rubella vaccine) taking place, yet like today, many Americans still lacked access to basic health care services. While traveling the country, physician John Brensike, observed many individuals Read more