Health Data for Action (HD4A) Initiative

Health Data for Action (HD4A) Initiative

Funder: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (managed by AcademyHealth)

Award Status: Participant (announced October 2024)

Overview

The Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative, an entity of CyncHealth, was selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Health Data for Action (HD4A) initiative. The program aims to reduce barriers to accessing valuable health data by researchers and support more than 20 new projects to tackle important health issues.

Focus Areas

• Reproductive health
• Payment reform
• Chronic disease treatment
• Healthcare cost transparency
• Specific Focus: Postpartum care disparities and maternal health equity

Program Goals

• Develop clinical knowledge
• Inform policies that improve healthcare affordability, equity, and public health
• Utilize data sources such as electronic health records and claims data
• Support research on health disparities

Data Sources Available

• Electronic health records (EHR)
• Claims data
• Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files (TAF)

Research Projects Using Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative Data

Project 1: Postpartum care disparities in women with gestational diabetes

Utilizing data from Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative and Truveta

Led by researchers studying maternal health outcomes

Project 2: Disparities in pregnancy morbidity due to air pollution

Utilizing data from Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative and Truveta

Project 3: Association of continuous Medicaid eligibility during COVID-19 with postpartum coverage and healthcare use

Conducted by researchers at Brown University

Using Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files (TAF) data

Geographic Scope

• Nebraska focus
• National initiative (20+ projects across multiple states)

Leadership

• Larra Petersen-Lukenda - COO of Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative and Midwest Institute for Community Health (MICH)

Key Quote

"Access to current, longitudinal health data and advanced tools enables our partners to understand the impacts of health disparities better and make informed decisions that directly benefit our communities. By focusing on postpartum care and other critical health challenges, we can shape more effective policies and health interventions, ensuring equitable care for all." - Larra Petersen-Lukenda

About Nebraska Healthcare Collaborative

• Entity of CyncHealth
• Designated health information exchange for Nebraska and western Iowa
• Connects over 5 million lives and 1,100+ facilities
• Includes hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare providers

Contact

• Email: cynchealth@innsena.com
• AcademyHealth: https://www.academyhealth.org/