07/01/2009
Oral Health Workforce in Colorado: Synthesis of survey findings and implications for policy  (974 KB pdf)
This report, prepared under contract with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, summarizes findings from three oral health workforce surveys administered by the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) between 2006 and 2008. Findings cover 2006 surveys of licensed Colorado dentists and dental hygienists and a 2008 survey of licensed Colorado dentists who work in rural areas. The report summarizes findings in the context of relevant research and policy issues related to the training, recruitment and retention of the oral health workforce and related access issues specific to underserved populations.

06/22/2009
2007-08 Colorado Licensed Practical Nurse Workforce Survey Findings  (281 KB pdf)
CHI's survey of licensed practical nurses in Colorado found that few LPNs were pursuing further education and most had no plans to do so. Other findings centered on demographics, workplace, training, salary and other related issues.

06/15/2009
Profile of Colorado's Physician Assistant Workforce: Key Findings from the American Academy of Physician Assistants' (AAPA) Census Survey  (371 KB pdf)
CHI collaborated with the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) to produce a report using the AAPA Census Survey Data from 2005 and 2006. CHI analyzed the survey findings, conducted a literature review and synthesis, and interviewed key informants to determine trends, practice characteristics, obstacles and policy issues related to PAs.

06/01/2009
Pediatric Primary Care Mapping Project  (2.24 MB pdf)
As requested by Dr. Steve Poole of the Colorado Children’s Healthcare Access Program (CCHAP), the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) created a series of maps to assist CCHAP in its needs assessment and strategic planning process. Ultimately, the maps are intended to assist CCHAP in determining where to focus its efforts with respect to Medicaid and CHP+ private provider recruitment. To that end, the maps summarize where children enrolled in the Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) programs live relative to providers who potentially could provide primary care services to them.

05/04/2009
The State of Colorado’s Health Care Safety Net: Safety Net Indicators and Monitoring (SNIMS) 2009 Progress Report  (2.52 MB pdf)
Recognizing the importance of Colorado’s safety net and the challenges it has faced historically, The Colorado Health Foundation provided a two-year grant to the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) in 2005 to establish a Safety Net Indicators and Monitoring System (SNIMS) for Colorado. With this support, CHI has developed a data-driven reporting system that identifies, describes and monitors Colorado’s health care safety net providers and the populations they serve annually.

Data (10.1 MB xls) from the report in an Excel spreadsheet

Graphs (4.92 MB ppt) from the report in PowerPoint format

05/01/2009
Colorado’s Mental Health Safety Net  (660 KB pdf)
The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) established the Safety Net Indicators and Monitoring System (SNIMS) in 2006 to inform communities and policymakers about the changing dynamics of Colorado’s safety net system that provides primary health, mental and oral health care to the state’s most vulnerable residents, and to arm them with the information needed to ensure the system’s sustainability. CHI recently published an updated safety net primer3 that describes the providers, users, financing and public programs that make up Colorado’s safety net system. This primer is devoted exclusively to the providers, users and financing for Colorado’s mental health safety net.

03/17/2009
Issue Brief: Colorado Children’s Health Insurance - 2009 Update  (154 KB pdf)
Over the past several months, the Colorado Health Institute (CHI) has conducted analyses relating to children’s health insurance coverage. This brief summarizes these analyses and includes a discussion of:
• The number of uninsured and privately insured children in Colorado based on reported family income;
• The number of uninsured children in Colorado (at the state and county levels) who are eligible but not enrolled in Medicaid and CHP+; and,
• A subset of uninsured immigrant children who are currently ineligible for Medicaid or CHP+.

03/12/2009
CHI HealthTalk - 2009|Issue 1  (html)


03/01/2009
Primer: Colorado's Health Care Safety Net--2009 Update  (179 KB pdf)
This 2009 update looks at providers and users of Colorado's health care "safety net," the default source of care for vulnerable Coloradans.

02/26/2009
Technical Brief: How Many Coloradans are Uninsured?  (207 KB pdf)
This technical brief provides an overview of the various sources of statewide uninsured estimates and helps policymakers and other constituents understand the issues related to developing and comparing these estimates. Also included is a discussion of underinsurance.

02/11/2009
2006 Colorado Certified Nurse Aide Workforce Survey Findings  (786 KB pdf)
Key findings from CHI's January 2006 survey of certified nurse aides (CNAs) in Colorado. Questionnaires were sent with certification renewal forms to more than 29,000 CNAs. More than 10,000 (35%) responded to questions about their education and training, work settings, job satisfaction and future plans.

01/15/2009
Pueblo Health Insurance Study  (423 KB pdf)
This study, conducted by CHI under contract to the Governor's Office and Division of Insurance, analyzes the factors affecting the cost of health insurance in the Pueblo metropolitan statistical area (MSA) compared to the Greeley and Denver MSAs.

01/08/2009
Collaborative Scopes of Care Study  (4.48 MB pdf)
The report studies the scopes of practice of health care professionals, the settings in which they practice, innovative models of care that employ interdisciplinary teams and the quality of care provided.

Also see the executive summary (211 KB pdf).

10/31/2008
CHI HealthTalk - September/October 2008  (html)
Bimonthly newsletter on the latest CHI activities and reports, upcoming health-related events and other resources and information about health and health care in Colorado.

10/22/2008
Health Professions Workforce Inventory  (3.91 MB pdf-complete inventory)
Comprehensive inventory profiling educational programs that provide training related to 20 health professions as well as workforce initiatives that strive to increase awareness of health care opportunities.

07/21/2008
CHI HealthTalk - July/August 2008  (html)


05/30/2008
CHI HealthTalk - May/June 2008  (html)


05/27/2008
Faces of the Safety Net: Metro Community Provider Network  (170 KB pdf)
Going beyond the numbers and the tables of data, CHI is getting personal with Colorado’s safety net. By visiting a variety of clinics throughout the state, CHI hopes to give the public a better perspective of their neighborhood health care systems. This article profiles the Metro Community Provider Network.

04/29/2008
Colorado Rural Oral Workforce Project: Report of findings  (912 KB pdf)
Prepared under contract with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as part of its Colorado Rural Oral Workforce Project, this CHI paper examines findings specific to Colorado's rural dental workforce from CHI’s 2006 survey of licensed Colorado dentists (April 2008).

04/07/2008
Faces of the Safety Net: SET Family Medical and Homeless Clinic  (106 KB pdf)
This article profiles Colorado Springs' SET Family Medical and Homeless Clinic.

03/18/2008
Faces of the Safety Net: School-Based Health Centers  (220 KB pdf)
Profile of Community Health Services School-Based Health Centers, Adams County School District 14.

03/11/2008
CHI HealthTalk - March/April 2008  (html)


01/25/2008
Final Report of the HB 1374 Long-term Transitions Working Group  (245 KB pdf)
Recommendations for addressing problems in the current Medicaid program that unnecessarily delay otherwise qualified individuals who need long-term care Medicaid from receiving services in a timely fashion.

01/16/2008
Faces of the Safety Net: Meadows Family Medical Center  (201 KB pdf)


01/10/2008
CHI HealthTalk January/February 2008  (html)


01/01/2008
2007 CHI Year in Review  (175 KB pdf)


12/20/2007
Southwest Colorado: A demographic and health profile  (html)
Profile of selected demographic, health care access and health status characteristics of southwest Colorado counties: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel. CHI intends for this report to complement other existing sources of quantitative and qualitative information about health and health care in southwest Colorado.

10/29/2007
HealthWords  (190 KB pdf)
Designed to help policymakers and others better understand the terms used in discussions about health care in Colorado.

10/25/2007
CHI HealthTalk September/October 2007  (html)


10/23/2007
Faces of the Safety Net: Clínica Tepeyac  (163 KB pdf)


08/21/2007
CHI HealthTalk July/August 2007  (html)


07/18/2007
2005 Colorado Physician Workforce Survey: Key findings and technical notes  (400 KB pdf)
Key findings from CHI's physician survey questionnaire administered in April 2005 to all licensed physicians in Colorado. More than 7,700 (48%) responded to questions about rural vs. urban practice location, education, hours in direct patient care and other issues. The physician survey is part of CHI's health workforce database project.

06/21/2007
CHI HealthTalk May/June 2007  (html)


05/30/2007
Impact of the Federal 2005 Deficit Reduction Act on Colorado Medicaid enrollment: Findings from the Eligibility Technician Survey  (563 KB pdf)
Findings from CHI's 2007 survey of county Eligibility Technicians (ETs) who enroll families in the Medicaid and CHP+ programs.

05/30/2007
Impact of the Federal 2005 Deficit Reduction Act on Colorado Medicaid enrollment: Findings from the Outreach and Enrollment Worker Survey  (530 KB pdf)
Findings from a 2007 CHI survey of community-based outreach and enrollment workers (O&E workers) who assist families in applying for Medicaid and CHP+ coverage.

05/17/2007
Gaps in Colorado Health and Health Care Data: The need for a statewide Colorado Emergency Department Database  (466 KB pdf)
Issue Brief discussing the benefits that could be derived from a statewide database on hospital emergency department visits.

05/03/2007
Colorado's Health Care Safety Net  (1.14 MB pdf)
Primer on the state's safety net including providers, current and potential users, financing and range of services.

04/30/2007
Rural Health Clinics: An assessment of data capacity  (1.31 MB pdf)
Findings from CHI's 2006 interviews with Rural Health Clinics representatives to assess each clinic’s capacity to collect and report uniform patient-level data.

04/19/2007
CHI HealthTalk March/April 2007  (html)


02/20/2007
2006 Annual Report  (90 KB pdf)


02/07/2007
CHI HealthTalk January/February 2007  (html)


02/02/2007
Health Care Vision 2007 and Beyond: Colorado's health care marketplace  (680 KB pdf)
Examines the history of health reform in Colorado since the early 1990s, plus data from the national Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, state budget documents and state agency administrative records.

11/17/2006
Spending on Health-Related Programs in Colorado  (456 KB pdf)
Discusses ways in which the legislature appropriates revenue, examines the state's baseline spending on health-related programs in FY 2004-05 prior to the passage of Amendment 35 and Referendum C, and summarizes funding increases in the two years after their passage (November 2006).

11/17/2006
Meeting the Needs of Colorado’s Dual Eligibles  (430 KB pdf)
Describes the group of low-income elders and adults with disabilities who qualify for both the Medicare and Medicaid programs (November 2006).

11/17/2006
Colorado’s High-Risk Pool: Small but important part of the health insurance market  (173 KB pdf)
Describes the eligibility, funding mechanisms and federal assistance related to Colorado's high-risk pool for individuals underwritten out of the individual insurance market (November 2006).

11/17/2006
Colorado Children’s Health Insurance Status  (156 KB pdf)
Provides an overview of the nearly 180,000 Colorado children without ealth insurance (November 2006).

11/17/2006
Colorado’s Aging Baby Boomers: Challenges and opportunities  (378 KB pdf)
Summarizes the final report of the SB 173 Long-Term Advisory Committee, formed in 2005 to recommend steps to improve the cost-effectiveness and delivery of long-term care services in Colorado (November 2006).

11/17/2006
The Colorado Health Care Marketplace: Coverage and trends  (344 KB pdf)
Discusses Colorado's small group market, including marketplace consolidation and funding mechanisms (November 2006).

11/17/2006
Profile of the Uninsured in Colorado, An update for 2005  (778 KB pdf)
Examines the risk factors for being uninsured and the characteristics of Colorado’s uninsured population; updates and supplements the more comprehensive discussion of uninsurance included in Profile of the Uninsured in Colorado, 2004.

11/02/2006
CHI HealthTalk October/November 2006  (html)


09/25/2006
2005 Colorado Registered Nurse (RN) Workforce Survey: Technical notes and key findings  (404 KB pdf)
Key findings from the survey questionnaire administered in 2005 to all licensed RNs in Colorado. More than 12,500 nurses responded to questions about the number of years they plan to work in nursing, their workplace environment, their satisfaction with nursing and other issues. The RN survey is part of CHI's health workforce database project.

09/25/2006
CHI HealthTalk August/September 2006  (html)


08/03/2006
Oral Health Environmental Scan  (3.05 MB pdf)
CHI's survey of the policy landscape and the conditions and activities affecting the availability, accessibility and quality of dental health care in Colorado (September 2005).

08/01/2006
2005 Annual Report to the Community  (357 KB pdf)


07/11/2006
CHI HealthTalk June/July 2006  (html)


07/01/2006
Final Report of the SB 173 Long-term Care Advisory Committee  (471 KB pdf)
Recommendations of the legislatively appointed committee on improving long-term care in Colorado.

05/18/2006
The Colorado Health Report Card  (569 KB pdf)
Measures and grades the health of Coloradans across the lifespan; published by The Colorado Health Foundation in conjunction with CHI.

05/02/2006
CHI HealthTalk April/May 2006  (html)


03/08/2006
ClinicNet: Capabilities and Opportunities  (451 KB pdf)
Results of CHI’s assessment of ClinicNet members’ ability to meet funding requirements of the Amendment 35 Primary Care Fund (February 2006)

03/03/2006
Profile of the Working Uninsured in Colorado, 2004  (845 KB pdf)
Examines the employment characteristics of uninsured workers (March 2006 supplement to CHI’s Profile of the Uninsured in Colorado, 2004).

03/01/2006
Colorado Health Care Data Needs Assessment  (356 KB pdf)
Findings from a 2005 CHI survey that assessed the importance, availability and accessibility of health and health care-related data in Colorado.

02/28/2006
CHI HealthTalk - March 2006  (html)


01/06/2006
Profile of the Uninsured in Colorado, 2004  (1.47 MB pdf)
Examines characteristics of the 770,000 Coloradans who lacked health insurance at some point in 2003-04. Supplementary data tables

01/02/2006
Health and Health Care in Colorado  (1.88 MB pdf)
2005 report that combines findings from three previous reports completed for HealthONE Alliance (now The Colorado Health Foundation).

01/01/2006
The 2004 Colorado Nursing Faculty Supply and Demand Study  (625 KB pdf)
Identifies and analyzes key factors and issues affecting the supply of and demand for nursing faculty and the relationship between nurse education programs and the market for professional nurses in Colorado; CHI study done for the Colorado Workforce Development Council and the Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence.

05/01/2005
Colorado Childhood Immunization Rates: Policy and practice  (950 KB pdf)
May 2005 white paper that looks beneath the surface of Colorado's previous ranking as 50th in vaccination coverage among 2-year-olds for the 4:3:1:3:3 combined vaccine series. Also see the policy brief (136 KB pdf), news release, Key Findings or Q & A.
Download Policy Brief

03/10/2005
Medicaid Preferred Drug Lists: A review of three states  (297 KB pdf)
Presents information about Colorado's current Medicaid prescription drug reimbursement policies and examines evidence-based Medicaid preferred drug list (PDL) programs in Florida, Missouri and Washington (March 2005).

03/01/2005
Colorado Medicaid: A Primer  (1.17 MB pdf)
Provides an overview of how Medicaid functions in Colorado, who it serves, what it covers, what the state spends on Medicaid and what it means to the state's economy.

03/01/2005
The Small Group Health Insurance Market in Colorado  (389 KB pdf)
Reports trend data from 1996-2002, a period of significant change in the regulation of the small group market in Colorado and nationally, and provides a framework for monitoring these trends over time (March 2005).

11/12/2004
Profile of the Uninsured in Colorado, 2003  (358 KB pdf)
In its first data bulletin (November 2004), CHI reports that approximately 750,000 Coloradans had no health insurance coverage at some time during 2002-03, representing a 16.7 percent uninsured rate for this two-year period.

11/02/2004
2004 Annual Report to the Community  (5.34 MB pdf)


11/01/2004
The Promise of Health Information Technology: Improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of patient care in Colorado  (392 KB pdf)
Identifies and describes HIT projects under way in Colorado and elsewhere (November 2004).

07/01/2004
The Jury's Out: Monitoring the shift from no-fault to a tort auto insurance system in Colorado  (276 KB pdf)
Points to a number of early issues and trends on health care coverage, access and costs stemming from the transition from no-fault to tort auto insurance.
Download Errata