Policymakers, the media, and the public should focus on 20 specific health indicators as "yardsticks" to measure the overall health and well-being of Americans, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. By providing information that can be compared over time, these 20 indicators will also help track the nation's progress on improving people's health and the effectiveness of public health and care systems, the report says.
The 20 proposed indicators together provide a broad picture of Americans' health and the nation's health systems. They reflect a range of factors that determine well-being, including how many individuals engage in certain risky or healthy behaviors, how well patients fare from the care they receive, and to what extent health professionals and facilities are meeting specific goals.
Six of the 20 proposed indicators address health systems, including
• Per capita health care spending
• Percentage of adults without health coverage via insurance or entitlement
• Percentage of non-institutionalized people who did not receive or delayed receiving needed medical services, dental services, or prescription drugs during the previous year
• Percentage of adults who are up-to-date with age-appropriate screening services and flu vaccination
• Hospitalization rate for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions
• Percentage of children between 19 and 35 months old who are up to date with recommended immunizations
Read the report brief.
