We cannot fix what we don’t measure. To improve quality, decrease waste and improve affordability of health care in this region, we need better information to assess performance and cost. The Alliance offers focused, data-driven reports on health care cost and quality in the state of Washington with an increasing focus on equity. The reports help the health care community determine how well we’re doing as a state to reach our goals for quality and value in health care to ensure all Washingtonians receive the care they need.

Past reports:

Sponsored by Alliance purchaser organizations, both employers and union trusts, eValue8™ is the nation’s leading evidence-based request for information tool used to assess the quality of health plans. In addition to producing a comprehensive analysis of health plans in Washington state, the eValue8 process allows participating purchasers and the leadership of health plans to engage in direct discussions about health care provider performance. The Alliance works with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions to produce the eValue8 results and makes a summary report available to the public.

Driving Improvement Together

The Washington Health Alliance (Alliance) recently completed a purchaser-led project with the central aim of using data and collaboration to fuel collective action. In its white paper, Aligning to Drive Value: Using Data, Relying on Evidence, and Building on Trust, the Alliance shares the learnings gained through its work with eight self-funded purchaser members, which includes private and public employers, union trusts, and a multi-employer plan. Together, they provide health benefits to approximately 550,000 individuals or about 7% of Washington state’s population.

Each purchaser received customized reports that identified high- and low-value improvement opportunities. These reports included 48 measures of low-value care using the Milliman MedInsight Health Waste Calculator™ that serves as the basis of the First, Do No Harm reports published by the Alliance and 24 measures of high-value care from the Community Checkup, a comprehensive report on health care quality that has been published by the Alliance since 2008.

Alliance purchasers selected improving the value of care for low-back pain as a shared priority for action. Informed by collaborative discussions with provider and health plan leaders, purchasers developed patient and provider-focused strategies to improve the care of low-back pain consistent with the strong evidence-base for non-opioid, non-invasive services.

To download your copy, click here.

The Driving Value Project was supported by Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to investing in evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice.

Released in October 2019, “First, Do No Harm Calculating Health Care Waste in Washington State” utilized the MedInsight Health Waste CalculatorTM to produce an analysis of low-value health care services across the state. The report’s results show that for the 47 measures analyzed, waste appears to be on a downward trend from 2014 to 2017, 10 health care services account for more than $700 million in waste, how medical groups compare across the state.

Reports: 

October 2019

 

December 2018

 

February 2018

 

These reports found that where someone lives often influences the health care services they receive. By looking at health care service delivery patterns for common tests and procedures, the Alliance found significant geographic variation in how often these tests and procedures, which can be expensive and pose potential medical risk, are delivered.

 

Efforts to reduce hospital readmissions not only improve the health of patients, but can also help control spiraling medical costs. This report is a first look at hospital readmissions for the commercially insured in Washington state.

Higher price of care does not necessarily mean higher quality care. Reports on health care prices, paired with reports on quality like you can find on our Community Checkup website, are important information for health plans, employers, providers and consumers.

Hospital sticker shock: A report on hospital price variation in Washington state

The Alliance analyzed commercially-contracted fees negotiated between insurers and providers, both physicians and facilities for common inpatient treatments provided in 2016 and found wide variations across the state as well as within facilities.

The Alliance analyzed which inpatient spending trends had the greatest effect on health care costs in Washington state from 2015 and 2016 and found that for all inpatient care, total spending declined by 1.5%, a reduction of $29.5 million.

If you are looking for a specific report that is not listed below, please contact info@wahealthalliance.org.