About OHITAI

About the Office of Health Information Technology & Analytics Infrastructure (OHITAI)

The Office of Health Information Technology & Analytics Infrastructure is responsible for providing policy, program, partnerships, data system infrastructure, and analytics to inform policy and support health system transformation and eliminate health inequities in Oregon. This includes:

Health IT

OHITAI's staff work to accelerate state and federal health reform goals through organized support for adoption, implementation, and integration of health information technologies, such as electronic health records, health information exchange, and community information exchange. This includes supporting patients and organizations with better access to patient information leading to better care coordination across organizations and improving quality of care.

Analytics and Analytics Infrastructure

OHITAI's analytics teams are matrixed with six analytics teams under the Office of Health Analytics. The full group of ten analytics teams serve the overall functions:  

• Ensure the availability of high-quality reliable data through data system integration and transparent reporting;
• Analyze data, and develop strategies and tools to assess the performance of OHA programs; and
• Support OHA policy development, implementation, and evaluation.

Susan Otter, OHITAI Director

OHITAI Units

OHITAI is organized into six work units.

Health IT Policy & Program

The Health IT Policy & Program Team is working with Oregon's health care partners, communities, and consumers to improve health, support health system transformation efforts, and address health inequities by supporting policies, programs, and public/private partnerships that bring tools for securely sharing individuals' information across providers, health plans, individuals, and other partners. These tools and programs provide critical infrastructure to make care more efficient and effective.
Marta Makarushka, Manager

Health IT includes:

• Electronic health records (EHRs), which are used by hospitals and health care providers including physical, behavioral, and oral health providers and others.
• Health information exchange (HIE), which is the electronic sharing of health information among health care providers, patients, health plans, or other users of health IT systems. Health information exchange may also sometimes refer to an organization that provides HIE technology services.
• Online patient portals attached to a provider's EHR, and apps that patients can use to help manage their health conditions.
  

See Health IT Programs/Initiatives, Advisory Committees, and Resources pages for more information.

Community Information Exchange (CIE) Policy & Program

The Community Information Exchange (CIE) Policy & Program Team is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the use of CIE statewide and supporting Medicaid programmatic and administrative functions. This includes managing CIE policy, partner engagement, as well as the development, implementation, and operations of the CIE program. In particular, the unit provides new CIE technology services to support new Medicaid Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) services such as housing, nutrition, and climate supports offered under Oregon's historic 1115 Medicaid Waiver (2022-2027).
Lisa Parker, Manager

Community information exchange (CIE) is a network of collaborative partners using a multidirectional technology platform to connect people to the services and supports they need.

• Partners may include human and social service, health care, and other organizations.
• Technology functions must include closed loop referrals, a shared resource directory, and informed consent.
• Adoption and use of CIEs have grown rapidly across Oregon in recent years, with a focus on referrals to help address social determinants of health needs.

 See CIE Information and CIE Workgroup pages for more information, as well as HB4150 Report and CIE for the Waiver brief.

Social Health Needs and Analytics Projects

The Social Health Needs and Analytics Projects Team is responsible for providing technical and data support for OHA's work to implement Oregon's historic 1115 Medicaid Waiver (2022-2027), Medicaid children's services such as the Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment benefit, and for other Medicaid special projects. This unit focuses on data collection, analysis and reporting related to new health-related social needs (HRSN) services, such as housing and food supports, for Medicaid members undergoing major life transitions.
Amanda Peden, Manager

See HRSN Analytics page for more information. (webpage coming soon)

Medicaid Analytics and Data Integration

The Medicaid Analytics and Data Integration Team analyzes and reports Medicaid health care claims and program data to support Medicaid programs, decision-making, and policy. This unit also provides technology, system, and infrastructure support for health analytics teams in HPA and OHA. Specific functions include:

• Analysis, reporting, interpretation, and development of analysis for OHA's Medicaid Programs
• Data governance, privacy, and security
• Data request and data sharing process management
• Cross-agency data strategy, integration, and coordination
• Data systems and infrastructure – data warehousing, server management, and documentation

Chris Coon, Manager

See the Medicaid Data page for more information, including a profile of Medicaid Data sources, and Medicaid enrollment and demographic dashboards.

Analytics Technology and Data Equity

The Analytics Technology and Data Equity Team supports analytics and analytics-related technology functions across HPA. This team manages or advises on HPA analytics-related technology governance and IT investments and leads HPA technology initiatives to improve analytics and reporting. The Data Equity team provides leadership and support to HPA's analytics/reporting through implementing and expanding the use of demographic data, and in the application of principles of data equity to HPA teams' data management processes, reports, and analytic products. This team works in partnership with the Equity and Inclusion Division and various agency partners to support the collection, analysis, and reporting of race, ethnicity, language, disability (REALD), and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data. Collecting and reporting REALD and SOGI data is vital in supporting OHA's goals of eliminating health inequities by 2030.  

Pablo Torrent, Manager 

Infrastructure for Data Engagement and Access

The Infrastructure for Data Engagement and Access (IDEA) Team works to strengthen the connection between data and policy/decision makers advance by advancing the use of business intelligence tools and data visualization methods across HPA. Their work includes setting standards for reporting, offering training and technical guidance on reporting tools and enhancing analytical processes and infrastructure and maintaining the Data Request Tracking System (DRTS), which logs, tracks, and archives all data, report, and analytics requests handled by Health Analytics teams.

Vanessa Wilson, Manager

Health Analytics Matrixed Teams

The following teams matrix between OHITAI and the Office of Health Analytics.

Stacey Schubert, Director

Behavioral Health Analytics

The Behavioral Health Analytics Team collects and analyzes health care claims, survey, and program data to support Medicaid and Behavioral Health programs and policy. This team supports behavioral health program decision making with customized portfolios of data products and services. 

Lisa Wyman, Manager

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Monitoring and Evaluation Team primarily supports Oregon's 1115 Medicaid waiver. This team ensures capacity to implement meaningful evaluations through quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods, and ensures compliance with CMS requirements related to monitoring and evaluation.

Shubha Devadoss, Manager

Research and Data

The Research and Data Team collects, analyzes and reports on health care claims, hospital financial and utilization, and health care workforce data to inform health system policy and research. This team supports the All Payer All Claims, Health Care Workforce Reporting, Hospital Reporting, Health Care Market Oversight, and Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target programs.

Piper Block, Manager

Quality Metrics, Surveys and Reporting

The Quality Metrics, Surveys and Reporting Team oversees OHA's CCO Quality Incentive Program. This includes staffing the Metrics & Scoring Committee, tracking CCO performance metrics, assisting with the distribution of incentive payments, and preparing an interactive dashboard and other reporting. The team also administers the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey, which serves as the basis for some metrics. 

Derek Reinke, Manager

Behavioral Health Quality Metrics

The Behavioral Health Quality Metrics Team supports the Behavioral Health Committee and other OHA divisions by providing expertise and developing quality incentive metrics for CCOs, health care providers, counties and other government entities.

Erin Macauley, Manager 

Coverage Analytics

The Coverage Analytics Team analyzes data about health care coverage of all types – both public and private – to support coverage policy development. The team also analyzes and reports data to support internal program operations and quality improvement for such programs as OHP Bridge and the Healthier Oregon Program. The information the team provides to programs and leadership supports decision-making and equitable access to comprehensive health care coverage. The team also administers two surveys supporting this work, the Oregon Health Insurance Survey (OHIS) and the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP).