Working Together to Leverage Health Data for Policy Change
Making it Better Conference
November 16, 2011
Working Together to Leverage
Health Data for Policy Change
Lesson in:
Community Assessment
Collaboration
Action
Bridge to Health Survey
Data Drives Change ….
Data Measures Results
Background on the Survey
Comprehensive
health assessment
of adults, age 18+,
in Northeastern
MN and Douglas
Co. WI
(Pop. 385,000)
Duluth’s Aerial Bridge
Why Is the Survey Conducted?
Need for reliable, local data on the
health of area residents
Federal and state surveys do not adequately
sample rural areas
This region is older, less affluent compared to
the State (MN)
Background on the Survey
• Conducted every 5 years since 1995; 2000,
2005, 2010
• Generations Health Care Initiatives, a local
foundation, managed the survey process
(2005 and 2010 surveys)
• Unique collaborative effort involving 60
health-related organizations in the region
• Twenty-one organizations funded the project
Collaborative Partners
Major health systems
Hospitals
Clinics
Public health
Tribal health
College/University
Non-profit organizations (Am. Lung, Am. Cancer,
etc.)
• Foundations
• Health Plans
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Role of Collaborative Partners
• Advise on new topic areas; 90% of survey
instrument remains the same
• Determine final question set
• Create awareness before and during the
survey process to increase participation
• Organize a regional conference to announce
results
Survey Topics
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Disease Prevalence/Chronic Conditions
Preventive Screenings
Tobacco Use
Alcohol Use
Nutrition
Exercise
Health Insurance Coverage
Demographic Information
Survey Methodology
• Adults, age 18 + (non-institutional)
• 4500 telephone interviews
• 450 respondents in each of 10 geographic area
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Aitkin County
Carlton County
Cook County
Douglas County, WI
Duluth
Itasca County
Lake County
Koochiching County
Pine County
St Louis County (w/o Duluth)
Survey Methodology
• Interviews conducted by research firm, Finch &
King. Technical assistance provided by the MN
Dept. of Health, Center for Health Statistics
• Phone interviews during Nov. 2010 – Feb. 2011
Results released in May 2011
• Response rate: 69.5%
• Confidence interval +/- 1.45% for regional sample,
+/- 4.61% for counties/city
New Requirements (Sec. 9007)
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Nonprofit Hospitals MUST:
 Conduct a community health needs assessment
every 3 years
 Develop priorities taking into account input from
broad interests of those served by the hospital
 Adopt implementation strategies to meet priority
community health needs
Report progress to the IRS (Form 990)
Use of Bridge to Health Data
Program Planning & Development/Evaluation
Ex: Regional Statewide Health Improvement Program
Fundraising
Ex: Lake Superior Community Health Center
receiving federal funds to open clinic in Superior WI
Advocacy
Ex: Tobacco policy in northeastern MN
www. BridgeToHealthSurvey.org
Jenny Peterson
Executive Director
Generations Health Care Initiatives
[email protected]
218-336-5703