Wisconsin Health Information Organization featured in Commonwealth Publication

WHIO was created in 2006 to improve the cost and quality of care delivered in Wisconsin. A recent report from AHRQ shows Wisconsin to be second for low cost and high quality in the nation narrowly eclipsed by Minnesota (see attached graph -State comparison). Because providers have complete access to the entire WHIO data set they can drill down into performance and change care practices delivering improving outcomes for patients.We believe this is an important reason Wisconsin performs so well.

One of the big stumbling blocks for WHIO has been lack of access to Medicare data. With the advent of Affordable Care Act it appeared the Medicare data was going to be released to "Qualified Entities". Unfortunately, the language in the bill has not allowed this to happen at WHIO. First section 10332 of the ACA only allows for the Qualified Entities that receive the Medicare data to publicly report the physician performance. It does not allow for any other use. If a physician group wanted a copy of the data set so as to drill down into group or individual performance it can't do so. The group could request a drill down and Qualified Entity in this case WHIO could deliver the report but WHIO could not charge for it. Who's going pay then? The Government isn't which means these reports won't happen.

At the Center we have been working on legislation which would correct this serious deficiency in the law. We are garnering bi-partisan support. in fact in the president's budget the issue is addressed as well. For now, we will have to wait but rest assured many of us are aware of the problem and working on it.

Click this link to read the excellent interview with Jo Musser. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Newsletters/Quality-Matters/2013/April-May/QA.aspx?omnicid=13;