This webinar series was hosted to support various roles who work with data in health centers to provide best practices and promote equity through data collection and analysis. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to meaningfully use data to improve their health center.

Having rapid access to data in health centers is critical to managing clinics, using operational data to improve care, and reporting quality measures. Quality, accessible data in health care can do more than feature in reports and accountability systems: effective communication of information can improve quality of care, alignment to evidence-based care principles, and data-informed decision making. Charts, graphs, maps, and other data visualizations play a key role in making information accessible. Visualizations make the patterns in large datasets rapidly apparent, showing when numbers are going up or down, performance compared to goals, comparison between patient groups, and more. The purpose of this resource is to provide a comprehensive guide to user-centered dashboard design for health center staff.

Value-based care focuses on improving patient outcomes while optimizing total cost of care. For health centers seeking to improve their internal processes for value-based care, effective data visualization can play a significant role in understanding, monitoring, and promoting value-based care practices. This resource details how data visualization can be employed to support value-based care and includes suggestions on how to depict measures and trends using data dashboards.

The Performance Measure Data Definition Worksheet can be used during the Quality Improvement (QI) process to assess the alignment of your health center’s workflows and documentation and your EHR vendor’s reporting logic processes.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) EHR Certification criteria requires EHR vendors to use eCQM (electronic Clinical Quality Measure) specifications to define measures. Therefore, reported data for a measure should be consistent regardless of EHR vendor. In practice, however, it is important to confirm that your EHR vendor’s reporting logic is consistent with your health center’s definition and workflows, and vice versa, as outlined in this worksheet.

The Social Determinants of Health Data Dashboards training is a four module series. Modules range from about 8 minutes to 12 minutes in length. Module one provides an introduction to the role of screening and collecting data on social determinants of health, identifying social determinants of health measures and using data effectively, and assessing organizational data dashboard capability. Subsequent modules provide beginner, intermediate and advanced level considerations and examples for social determinants of health data dashboards. 

This compendium of references and tools is intended to support Quality Improvement efforts and to build skills across health center staff, particular those who may be tasked with leading data literacy and data governance activities or are new to the health center world. 

This HITEQ Highlights webinar discussed the use of health information technologies (IT) to facilitate the workflow of providing Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) services. Focus areas included: coding and billing for SBIRT services, using health IT to enhance SBIRT screening, communication, data capture and documentation, clinical decision support, and information sharing and reporting. The webinar presented examples and experiences of health centers currently using health IT to facilitate effective SBIRT service delivery.

This presentation walks public housing-focused health centers, such as those with public housing primary care grants, through available UDS reports and tools that can be used for informing services and planning. A number of specific examples are shown of how information from the UDS can be used for improvement. Other information provided serves as a reference for reporting of public housing on Table 4 of the UDS. 

Data dashboards help communicate information to your health center staff, clinicians and partners. However the development process can be daunting. Where do I start? Who is part of the process? What tools should I use? Many people start by choosing the tool, but before identifying the tool, it is helpful to think through the users and the design process. This primer walks you through steps to dashboard design and how to choose the right dashboard tool.

In this session, participants learned why and how lived expertise must be sought after and valued by health centers and allied organizations to improve every stage of the data management process from collection and analysis to data sharing, access, and decision-making, including discussion about Information Blocking rules and navigating the tension between reporting and regulations. This session also covered the connection between racial equity and lived experience in data management.

Do you play a key role in gathering, analyzing, and visualizing data at your health center? This HITEQ webinar taught about how to use our Health Center Dashboard Design Guide, a comprehensive guide to user-centered dashboard design for health center staff. Using this guide, you and your team can develop dashboards that enable data exploration and use by making more informed design decisions, moving beyond the defaults.

Forming strong relationships with partner organizations is essential for promoting access to patient data. Participants learned strategies to prioritize relationships in order to facilitate smooth information exchange across health centers.

This session explored approaches to meeting the unique needs of patients by learning how to customize their digital interactions through patient portals, and acquiring their data. Participants gained insightful knowledge on how to improve patient's understanding and fulfillment with accessing and utilizing their data in health centers.

This session supported providers in working one on one with their patients while utilizing technology and data in their health center. Participants learned how to engage with patients while navigating barriers that technology may create when providing care.

In this session, participants learned about successful digital health strategies for primary care settings. Attendees left the session hearing from case studies on best practices and lessons learned.

This final session taught participants how to utilize process mapping to navigate clinical quality programs. This session covered how to look for areas of improvement within your program.

In this session, participants learned about the quality reporting requirements or program, and learned about the purpose of eCQMs. Attendees will also be able to discuss how to access measure specifications and value sets as well as articulate one or more approaches to assessing data alignment in the health center setting.

This session got participants acquainted with digital health strategy in providing comprehensive primary care. Attendees learned about utilizing digital tools in health centers and improving patient care.

The National Health Care for the Homeless Council and the HITEQ Center hosted a free webinar on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024, from 2 – 3 pm Eastern (1 - 2 pm Central) where they taught participants how to screen for housing status and other Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) measures that can be introduced or better integrated into health center clinical workflows. Presenters shared guidance on implementing and systematizing social needs data collection in Electronic Health Records (EHRs), followed by a panel of expert health center representatives who spoke about their programs’ journeys with social needs screening programs. Participants had the opportunity to ask questions, share successes, or discuss specific challenges they faced regarding social needs screening. 

While this webinar focused on health care for the homeless (HCH) health centers, anyone involved directly in social needs screening or interested in improving screening processes was welcome to attend.