We’ve Only Just Begun

A few months ago, I helped my daughter prepare to leave Colorado for a new journey in her life. We laughed and reminisced as she packed up the items we thought she’d need (and would fit in a small backpack), all the while aware that a new phase for our family was beginning. Driving away after saying goodbye, it struck me that she was not the only one embarking on a new adventure. CIVHC too, is entering new territory as we continue to evolve our services to support advancing the Triple Aim in Colorado.

Most recently, we’ve developed new opportunities to connect organizations and individuals across the state through our Change Agent Chat Series and the Healthy Transitions Colorado hosted Let’s Talk Series. We’ve also been busy bringing new CO APCD data vendors, HSRI and NORC on board. Once fully transitioned in July, we will have exciting new value-add capabilities to support improvement efforts.

It is hard to believe that 2017 marks the 5th anniversary of implementation of the CO APCD. As noted in our recent CO APCD Annual Report, the CO APCD has supported hundreds of Change Agents across the state over the past five years, impacting hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. In the last year alone, CIVHC provided over 110 separate custom data fulfillments to stakeholders to support their improvement initiatives. We’re very proud of that number and look forward to continuing to increase the use and availability of the data in years to come.

To commemorate the five year implementation anniversary of the CO APCD, we developed a of the history of CIVHC, including the CO APCD. Here are a few highlights:

• Jan 2008 CIVHC and the CO APCD recommended by Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform
• Feb 2008 CIVHC created by Executive Order of the Governor
• March 2009 Began convening advisory groups in Payment Reform, Delivery Redesign, Consumer Engagement and Data and Transparency
• May 2010 signed into law establishing the CO APCD.
• August 2010 CIVHC appointed CO APCD Administrator by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF)
• May 2011 CIVHC receives non-profit 501(c)3 status separate from the state
• January 2011 Held Payment and Delivery Redesign Summit
• March 2012 Began collecting first round of test data from 8 largest commercial payers and Medicaid.
• November 2012 CO APCD website launched with interactive cost and utilization information
• July 2013  Launched the Healthy Transitions Colorado campaign in partnership with other key organizations
• July 2014  Colorado’s first commercial and Medicaid health care facility cost and quality information published on www.comedprice.org
• July 2014 CO APCD Scholarship established to offset the cost of providing custom CO APCD data
• May 2015  Palliative Care White Paper released identifying gaps and opportunities to expand access
• November 2015 First in series of CO APCD Spot Analysis released identifying cost savings and quality improvement opportunities.
• July 2016 New CO APCD data vendor announced, Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) and NORC.

Where We’re Headed
It is an exciting time to be part of health care in Colorado. Although there are many unknowns at the federal level, there is work we can continue to do as a state to build upon the great foundation we’ve developed over the past decades. We’re taking all we have learned together and using it to forge ahead into new programs, new partnerships, and new ways of sharing data, all leading to the ultimate goal of supporting the achievement of better health, improved care, and a healthier Colorado.

Change is inevitable and necessary. I told my daughter before she left that there are two ways to handle change – either embrace change, or run from it – and I’m so proud of her for forging ahead into unknown territory. CIVHC too is embracing change with open arms. We’re starting a new chapter and welcoming where the adventure takes us and the rest of those we partner with and serve across the state. And, I am sure you would agree that in Colorado, we’ve only just begun.

Throughout 2017, CIVHC will be taking a Trip Down Triple Aim Lane, highlighting the milestones of the last five years. Follow us on social media to join us on our journey.