Innovations Awards

Winner - Alabama - 2005 - BioTrac

This program examines the three basic components of patient care—cost, delivery and patient compliance—as one package that can be used to determine the best treatment plan for patients. Medicaid participants given a medical device that records weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and other physiologic signs transmit the medical information into a statewide database, which is then used by the state to formulate cost calculations, and by the state health department to identify gaps in patient care.

Winner - New York - 2005 - Pharmacy Service and Clinical Knowledge Enhancement System (PSYCKES)

A health information technology product implemented in the state mental health system provides access to medication guidelines and medical information that physicians, other clinicians and quality managers can access. The system is a new and creative method for using administrative and pharmacy data to support clinical decision-making at the individual patient level.

Winner - Arkansas - 2004 - Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines, Education and Learning System (ANGELS)

This program provides expertise and treatment guidelines for best practices in maternal-fetal care in collaboration with family practitioners and obstetricians throughout the state.  In a cooperative effort between Arkansas Department of Human Services and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, ANGELS serves anyone with a high-risk pregnancy.

Winner - Delaware - 2004 - Health Rewards

To empower state employees to make positive health choices and to save money for the state’s self-insured health plan, Delaware created a free, voluntary program under which state employees receive health assessments, lifestyle coaching and other perquisites.  Because of improved health, officials estimate the program has saved the health insurance plan $1 million annually.

Winner - Minnesota - 2004 - Minnesota Advantage Health Plan

A cost-tiered system, this health plan has saved the state and employees millions of dollars while creating new levels of competition and incentives for efficiency in the health care market. The state continues to contract with the same three major health carriers for administration and network services, but there is now a single rate and employee contribution for all three plans.

Winner - New York - 2004 - Health Emergency Response Data System (HERDS)

Serving as a central repository of information related to health emergencies, the system identifies human resources and hospital assets that can be directed to enhance responses. HERDS is linked to the state health department’s communications directory and notification system to provide backup and integration within the department’s overall emergence communications structure.

Winner - West Virginia - 2004 - Accessible Intelligent Medication Strategies (AIMS)

Developed by West Virginia University’s School of Pharmacy for the state Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), the program employs registered pharmacists to educate physicians in their offices to help them prescribe more cost-effective drugs for public employees insured by the agency. The program is an effort to control rising costs while maintaining quality health care.

Winner - Arkansas - 2003 - IndependentChoices Program

This program allows participants of the state Medicaid program to receive a cash allowance to help pay for needed medical services rather than receiving care from a state agency. The allowance may be used in a variety of non-traditional ways to meet personal care needs, allowing consumers to assume more responsibility for their service arrangements.

Winner - West Virginia - 2003 - Multi-State Pharmacy Benefit Management Services Program

This state partnership aggregates drug purchasing powers for a single pharmacy benefit manager to lower the unit costs for services provided, allowing states in the partnership group to enter into a relationship to increase their negotiating power when seeking prescription drug services.

Alternate - South Dakota - 2003 - Substance Abuse Prevention Services for At-Risk Pregnant Women Initiative

A continuum of services for adolescent and adult pregnant women and recent mothers struggling with addiction and dependency to alcohol and other drugs, this initiative is designed to provide pregnant and parenting women with necessary skills to overcome addiction, fostering self-sufficiency in their ability to pursue education, work and parent.

Finalist - Alaska - 2005 - Active Managerial Control

This program, used by retail food establishment operators, manages risks that contribute to food-borne illness. This system includes four components: trained food service work force, standard operating procedures in food establishments, self-assessment and regulation through inspection and enforcement.

Finalist - Delaware - 2005 - Home and Community Based Services Waiver Individualized Rate Setting Program

This program is a resource allocation and reimbursement structure based on the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. It empowers each individual to determine when, where and how his or her services are provided.

Finalist - Hawaii - 2005 - Hawaii Rx Plus

A prescription drug assistance program for those who qualify, Hawaii Rx Plus is designed to reduce the price of prescription drugs, keep administrative costs to a minimum, streamline the application process, prevent crowding out the prescription drug benefits already available through the Hawaii Pre-Paid Health Care Act and protect the rights and benefits of Medicaid recipients.

Finalist - Wisconsin - 2005 - MEDDIC-MS and MEDDIC-MS SSI Rapid Cycle

This cost-effective automated system measures health care performance and improves the quality of the state’s publicly funded managed health care programs, which is especially important to the financially pressured state Medicaid program.

Finalist - Arizona - 2004 - Behavioral Health Assessment and Service Plan Project

This project led to the design and implementation of a statewide, standardized behavioral health intake, enrollment, assessment and service planning process for people enrolled in Arizona’s behavioral health system.

Finalist - Florida - 2004 - Florida Initiative in Telehealth and Education

In a partnership between the University of Florida’s Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and the Children’s Medical Services Network in Daytona Beach, this program provides telemedicine clinics for children with diabetes and endocrinopathies.

Finalist - Florida - 2004 - Self-Directed Work Teams

The Florida Board of Nursing uses these teams to streamline the process for licensing nurses, assign work, solve problems, improve communications and improve performance at the board’s offices. These teams reduced the time it takes to process a license from 33 days to an average of 14.2 days, which has lowered personnel costs for the board, reduced customer complaints and increased the supply of nurses in Florida during a critical shortage.

Finalist - Illinois - 2004 - All Our Kids Early Childhood Networks

This program provides comprehensive health care to children under age 5. This includes prenatal care, well-baby checkups, developmental screenings, parenting education and home visits.

Finalist - Iowa - 2004 - Lighten Up Iowa

This program is a statewide team competition that encourages healthy weight loss, physical activity and good nutrition among state employees.

Finalist - Kansas - 2004 - Child Welfare Mental Health Partnership

This program increases access to mental health services for youth in state custody, particularly for those who are involved in serious disturbances.

Finalist - Minnesota - 2004 - Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Initiative

This initiative works to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in the state as experienced by American Indians, people of color and other ethnic groups. The program addresses poverty, racism, language differences, cultural differences, environmental conditions and other factors that can be detrimental to the health of minorities.

Finalist - Minnesota- 2004 - Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Network

This program provides support and expertise to families with babies who have hearing problems. It also educates people and doctors about the need to quickly identify and address hearing loss in babies.

Finalist - Washington - 2004 - 24-Hour Shellfish Safety Screen

Using a new genetic test to quickly detect bacterial pathogen in shellfish, the Washington State Public Health Laboratories developed this test, which is more sensitive and yields results more quickly than prior methods. This new test enables state shellfish regulators to stop shipments of contaminated products before the shipments reach consumers.

Finalist - Florida - 2003 - Florida: A Healthy State

This public-private collaboration is designed to address the critical health care needs of the state’s Medicaid population suffering from diabetes, hypertension, heart failure and asthma. The initiative is investing in the care of Florida’s chronically ill population through three distinct programs on disease management, health literacy and medical product donations.

Finalist - Illinois - 2003 - Urban Systems of Care Program

The Department of Human Services provides mental health and social services for at-risk children and their families who live in 11 Chicago Housing Authority developments. This program bridges the barriers caused by socioeconomic factors, lack of transportation and gang boundaries that may prevent residents from obtaining needed services.

Finalist - Minnesota - 2003 - Minnesota Disability Health Options MnDHO

This program is a managed health care program for people with disabilities. It integrates Medicaid and Medicare financing and primary, acute and long-term care. All enrollees are assigned an RN health coordinator, who helps them navigate the health care system, live more independently and maintain their health.