The Massachusetts Health Data Consortium (MHDC), the nationÂ’s oldest and leading health data and interoperability consortium, is embarking on a partnership with the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and caring system for health. The Lown Institute will enhance the Spotlight service by providing compelling and rigorous measures of health equity, value of care, and patient outcomes for 55 Massachusetts hospitals.
“MHDC is thrilled to partner with the Lown Institute and to bring their novel metrics of social responsibility to our Spotlight subscribers, who represent some of the leading health systems in New England. Augmenting Spotlight’s market share, disease prevalence, and demographic analyses with the Institute’s equity, value, and outcomes measures will provide Spotlight subscribers with a more comprehensive and relevant view of health system performance,” said Denny Brennan, MHDC’s Executive Director.
“We are encouraged to see the growing interest from hospitals in how they can be more socially responsible. Massachusetts hospitals have been at the forefront of innovation and research in health care quality. Our partnership with MHDC now gives health systems in the Commonwealth an opportunity to measure their progress on equity and value of care as well,” said Dr. Vikas Saini, President of the Lown Institute.
ABOUT THE LOWN INSTITUTE
Founded in 1973 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Bernard Lown, MD, developer of the defibrillator and cardioverter, the Lown Institute believes that a radically better system of health is possible and generates bold ideas towards that goal. The Lown Hospitals Index, a signature project of the Institute, is the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals by applying measures never used before like racial inclusivity, avoidance of overuse, and pay equity.
ABOUT THE MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH DATA CONSORTIUM
Since 1978, MHDC, a not-for-profit corporation, has remained the trusted and objective facilitator of health information and technology transformation among payers, providers, industry associations, state and federal agencies, individuals, and technology and services companies.
Founded by the CommonwealthÂ’s major public and private healthcare organizations and chartered by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, MHDC strives to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of healthcare through
- rigorous and accessible health data analyses,
- education and leadership development; and
- the trusted, objective, and effective convening of the regionÂ’s health information community in advancing multi-stakeholder collaborations.