The nation's health care system has changed dramatically and the country is debating further significant changes. Comprehensive information is needed to guide policymakers in understanding and evaluating the current problems and in formulating federal health care policy.


This book contains an evaluation of the plan developed by the National Center for Health Statistics for restructuring its existing provider surveys. It identifies current and future data needed by researchers and policymakers to assess the effect of changes in financing, organization, and delivery of health care on access, quality, costs, and outcomes of care and determines the extent to which the design and content of the proposed survey can meet these data needs.


The book goes beyond a simple review and recommends a design framework to develop a coordinated and integrated data system to gather information about people and their illness over time and to link this information to costs and health care outcomes.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
Introduction
Data Needs for a Changing Health Care Delivery System
Review of the NCHS Plan for the National Health Care Survey
Design for a National Health Care Data System
Coordination and Resource Considerations
Appendix A: NCHS Plan for a National Health Care Survey
Appendix B: Survey of Users of National Health Care Statistics
Appendix C: Federal Health Data Sources
Appendix D: Statutory Authorities
Appendix E: Acronyms
Appendix F: Biographical Sketches
Sources and References