Informatics and Quality:

Access the “Why Not the Best?” weblink: http://www.whynotthebest.org.

Click on the Map tab at the top. Use the drop-down menus at the top right to select Utilization and Costs,. In the next drop-down menu to the right, select Standardized Risk Adjusted Per Capita Costs. Select State HRR. You will see a color-coded map. Pick a state other than your own and click on it. Put your cursor over the counties to see the costs in each area. Take note of the state, location (area) and costs.

Go to the Census Bureau website using this link:  https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217  link  is also in the syllabus. You will see a box up top that says “Quick Facts” this is where you need to go for this assignment.

Select the same geographical area you used for the Why Not the Best website (or as close as possible)

1. Based on your searches of the two databases, what type of comparisons or assumptions can you make about the health care and demographics in your selected area?

2. Do you feel that this type of reporting truly meets the concept of transparency in reporting?

3. How does this type of access to publicly available databases help or hurt health care delivery as a whole?

4.How can you use this data in your current clinical practice?