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July 2, 2015 OHA Director's messages on the web
To: All OHA employees
From: Lynne Saxton, Director

Measuring success through positive outcomes

To the OHA team:

Last month, we released the 2014 Health System Transformation report that lays out the progress of Oregon’s coordinated care organizations (CCOs) on key quality and financial measures. More than 434,000 Oregonians have enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan since January 1, 2014, and the coordinated care model continues to show improvements to Oregonians’ care for the second straight year. We know where the future challenges lie, and are focused on addressing these transformation issues.

The report shows improvement in several areas including decreased emergency department visits, decreased hospital admissions for short-term complications from diabetes, decreased rate of hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and an increase in patient-centered primary care home (PCPCH) enrollment. But there are areas for improvement as well, including the rates of cervical cancer and chlamydia screenings for women.

Metrics are the best way to keep us accountable for the work we do and the outcomes we strive for. Having measurable goals focuses our efforts and determines our success. Last month, we also posted the CCO financial reports for 2014. CCOs are continuing to hold down costs. Oregon is staying within the budget that meets its commitment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce the growth in spending by 2 percentage points per member, per year. We are required to stay within a 3.4 percent growth rate and we are meeting that requirement. (The national growth rate from fiscal 2010 to 2013 was 4 percent. Some states including California (13.7 percent) and Indiana (10.7 percent) saw double-digit growth during those years, according to CMS data analyzed by the Kaiser Family Foundation.)

As we continue our internal work of aligning our divisions to reflect health system transformation, these reports remind us the coordinated care model is helping us achieve the triple aim of better health, better care and lower costs. Oregon’s health system is continuing to improve care for the nearly 1.1 million Oregonians who need it most. Thank you for the part you play in our collected efforts.

I wish you all a happy and safe Independence Day.

Thanks, Lynne

To your health: Is anyone else enjoying delicious fresh Oregon berries right now? Turns out they’re more than just a tasty treat. Blueberries, strawberries and raspberries contain plant nutrients known as anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. Blueberries rival grapes in concentrations of resveratrol—the antioxidant compound found in red wine that is believed to help protect against heart disease and cancer. Indulge in Oregon’s scrumptious berry bounty while you can—it’s good for you!

OHA on the web