HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released an interactive web-based tool for states to use in measuring healthcare quality. The State Snapshot tool is based on the 2005 National Healthcare Quality Report and the 2005 National Healthcare Disparities Report. The tool ranks the states on 15 representative measures of healthcare quality, has summary measures of the quality of types and settings of care for each state, and compares state measures to regional and national performance. An in-depth section focused on quality and disparities of diabetes care and potential cost savings from implementing diabetes disease management. AHRQ will partner with four states this year to develop a complementary guide to the Snapshot tool to help states use the information for priority setting and quality improvement.
