About the Tools | Past Workshop Agendas and Materials | Upcoming Technical Assistance

Upcoming Technical Assistance Opportunities for States

Many workshop and audio/Web conference participants expressed a need for additional technical assistance with one or more of the tools. Specific questions arose about:

• How the tools could be applied to address State challenges.
• How to interpret the data underlying many of the tools (e.g., why the tool should be trusted and how their own State data could/should be used).
• How to appropriately interpret and translate results for policymakers.

In response to this need, AHRQ is offering States a variety of free technical assistance options. These opportunities are designed to help States feel more comfortable with using the tools and to support engagement in quality improvement activities among a broad variety of State stakeholders.

Audio/Web Conference Follow-On Technical Assistance (June-December 2008)

AHRQ is now offering follow-on technical assistance to States that participated in the spring 2008 audio/Web conferences. Technical assistance will focus on the three tools that were highlighted during the audio/Web conference series: State Snapshots, the Asthma Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator, and Preventable Hospitalization Costs: A County-Level Mapping Tool.

Based on the needs expressed by States, AHRQ is offering a range of technical assistance options, which may include:

• Assisting States in further analyzing their State data and using AHRQ tools to design a new program or evaluate an established program.
• Providing technical help with configuring State data for input into the tools
• Reviewing the technical details behind the tools.
• Validating whether participants have used the tools correctly.
• Assisting with interpreting, displaying, and using output from the tools.
• Responding to additional technical questions that may arise as participants use the tools.
• Meeting with State representatives and stakeholder groups to provide customized assistance with the tools.

Please send a message with your specific technical assistance needs or questions to: quality_tools@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

Free Administrative Data and State Policy Intensive (December 4-5, 2008)

This 1.5-day intensive workshop will provide State teams an opportunity to explore how their administrative data can be used to answer important policy questions. Faculty will showcase several Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) tools, including HCUPnet (an online data query system) and Quality Indicators software, which can facilitate policy analysis. These tools can be used in conjunction with State administrative data to yield valuable heath care information that can inform and guide policy decisions. This workshop will be offered at no charge to participants and will take place at the AHRQ headquarters in Rockville, Maryland.

The workshop will highlight examples of how States have used administrative data to support policy analysis. Participants will work through several case study examples to help refine their own policy questions and identify options for utilizing administrative data and AHRQ tools to support policy and budgetary decisionmaking in their unique State contexts. This interactive workshop will include a combination of presentations and discussions, with time set aside for State teams to meet individually with AHRQ staff to discuss specific priorities and plans for policy analysis using administrative data.

State teams will be chosen to participate in this free, intensive workshop through a competitive application process. To ensure customized learning and access to faculty support, no more than six States (with teams of four to six people) will be accepted. Teams should include senior policy leaders and data analysts. Preference will be given to those teams that include a representative from the statewide data organization in their State and to States with an active interest in using administrative data to support policy analysis.

If you are interested in receiving further information about this workshop, please contact quality_tools@AHRQ.hhs.gov.

Provisional Agenda

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