Statistical methods

We use state-of-the-art statistical and econometric approaches to isolate the effects of health care programs and policies.

Economic lens

We understand the economic incentives and regulatory issues that affect health care delivery systems, and these factors underpin our research and analyses.

Health care cost and quality metrics

We have coded and validated over 100 metrics of health care access, quality, and cost, including metrics developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), "home grown" measures tailored to specific projects, and standardized expenditure measures. Our metrics library enables us to evaluate health care policies and programs from every angle.

Big data analysis

Supported by the computing power of a leading academic medical institution, our team has developed the infrastructure, processes, and expertise to successfully manage and analyze large, complex datasets:

• National Medicaid data: We are among the first institutions to receive CMS’ national repository of state Medicaid data for research use. The Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) Analytic Files (TAF) comprise comprehensive Medicaid and CHIP claims data, including information on beneficiary eligibility, enrollment, service use, and spending. The 30+ TB TAF data represent a critical resource for understanding and evaluating access, quality and cost of healthcare for more than 80 million Americans.
• State Medicaid data: We have extensive experience with administrative claims direct from Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and Idaho, including medical, pharmacy, enrollment, dental, long-term care and nursing home claims. State-specific data extracts often include additional detail over composite datasets.
• Federal Medicare data: We have expertise with Medicare fee-for-service, Medicare Advantage encounter records, and assessment data (e.g., Minimum Data Set 3.0), and use these data to understand the effects of Medicare value-based payment systems. We also link these datasets with national Medicaid data to evaluate health care utilization, outcomes and expenditures among dually eligible individuals.
• Multi-payer data: We have used Oregon's All-Payer Claims Database to create common measures of efficient care across Medicaid and commercial insurance members, and to evaluate quality of care for dually eligible members.
• Survey and electronic health record (EHR) data: Our experience with survey data includes Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) and a specialized survey of behavioral health needs in South Dakota.

Accessible communication

We make complex concepts accessible to a wide range of audiences.