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Print copies of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio 2005 Annual Report are available by e-mailing info.
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Health Policy Institute of Ohio 2005 Annual Report
Download HPIO's 2005 Annual Report(March 2006, pdf format, 6 MB)
Need Adobe Acrobat Reader? Download here.
From the President's Letter:
I am pleased to share with you the first Annual Report of the Health
Policy Institute of Ohio. Since our start-up in January 2004, we have
welcomed the opportunities and challenges that come with bringing a
neutral, independent voice to the health policymaking landscape of
Ohio.
As a team, my staff and I have strived to
be nimble and responsive to the information needs of policymakers, and
we have worked purposefully to establish our Institute as the premier
resource in Ohio for non-partisan, evidence-based health policy
information. And very deliberately, we have focused on encouraging
dialogue among policymakers and other diverse stakeholders who share a
belief that informed policymaking is key to improving the health of
Ohioans.
These are not easy times and
policymakers who are making difficult choices require information
quickly—information that is balanced, unbiased, and up-to-date.
This
year, the Institute sponsored events and distributed publications on a
wide array of health-related topics that added a richness to the
dialogue in Ohio. In 2005, Institute publications focused on the topics
of health disparities; key oral health issues in Ohio; understanding
the Ohio Medicaid program; policy challenges resulting from rising
rates of obesity; the status of health information technology (HIT) in
Ohio; and results from the Ohio Family Health Survey related to poverty
and health insurance.
Also in 2005, the
Institute hosted numerous events that brought lawmakers, policymakers,
employers, providers, and consumers together to discuss health issues
and engage in candid dialogue. Those events included a policy forum
featuring national and Ohio experts who focused on the prevailing
research on obesity, weight, and health; a statewide kick-off
conference for a strategic effort to coordinate and integrate
information technology throughout Ohio’s health care system; and a
roundtable of key stakeholders in the field of oral health to assess
the impact of dental care workforce policies in Ohio.
I
would be remiss if I didn’t highlight how indebted my staff and I are
for the steadfast support of the Institute Board of Directors and
funders who share our aspirations and sense of urgency. I would
especially like to thank our founding funders—the Health Foundation of
Greater Cincinnati, Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland, the George
Gund Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, the Mt. Sinai Health Care
Foundation, the Anthem Foundation of Ohio, the Sisters of Charity
Foundation of Cleveland, and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of
Canton—and the other funders who have given us their support, including
the SC Ministry Foundation, the United Way of Central Ohio, the United
Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the United Way of Greater Cleveland. As
a result of their shared vision, their unwavering commitment, and their
determination to make a difference, we have set a course in Ohio for
health policy decision making founded on evidence, analysis, dialogue,
and education.
We are also indebted to
our sister health policy institutes around the country that have paved
the way in providing leadership and information that promotes sound
public policy decision making. We have solid bonds with and
immeasurable respect for visionaries such as Camille Miller of the
Texas Health Institute, Bob St. Peter of the Kansas Health Institute,
and Pamela Hanes of the Colorado Health Institute who generously share
their time and wisdom so that Ohioans may learn and benefit from the
experiences and successes of other states.
We
know that to contribute to the improved health of Ohioans, my staff and
I must work even harder in the upcoming year to provide high quality
information, promote dialogue on health issues, and expand the
intensity and scope of the health issues we explore. We have an
ambitious agenda for 2006, and my staff and I invite you—our many
colleagues and friends of the Institute—to explore that agenda with us,
take up the challenges ahead, and share in our journey.
William Hayes, Ph.D.
President
Health Policy Institute of Ohio
