Publications

All Payer Claims Database

2022 Utah Primary Spend Report

Utah All Payer Claims Database (APCD) to calculate the total amount of spending on primary health care services as a percentage of all health care expenditures. View report

Identifying Potential Overuse of Non-Evidence-Based Health Care in Utah

Reporting years: 2022 | 2021 In 2020, H.B. 195 – Identifying wasteful healthcare spending, which enacted UCA §26-33a-117 -Identifying potential overuse of non-evidence-based health care was passed. The law requires the Department to contract with a nationally-recognized health waste calculator, to use the calculator to analyze data in the state All Payer Claims Database and flag entries the calculator identifies

Utah Primary Care Spend Calculation Project

The Utah Department of Health, Office of Health Care Statistics (OHCS) produced this primary care spend report for the Utah Academy of Family Physicians (UAFP). In late 2020, the Office of Health Care Statistics was tasked with using the Utah All Payer Claims Database (APCD) to calculate the total amount of spending on primary health care services as a percentage

Exploring the Cost of Cataract Surgery in Utah

By: Brantley Scott The Utah Department of Health, Office of Health Care Statistics (OHCS) produced this report at the request and under the direction of the Transparency Advisory Group (TAG). The TAG is a subcommittee of the Utah Health Data Committee (HDC). The mission of the Transparency Advisory Group is to identify opportunities to make high value information on health

Exploring the Cost of Colonoscopy in Utah

The Transparency Advisory Group selected colonoscopies as a procedure with high health care value for Utahns. This report identifies differences in costs between certain facilities as well as the variation that can exist within a health care provider.

Preliminary COVID-19 Healthcare Trends: A Snapshot from Utah’s All Payer Claims Database (UPDATED 2020-12-15)

The intent of these reports is to highlight emerging COVID-19 healthcare consumption trends using Utah’s All Payer Claims Database (APCD) and Healthcare Facility Database (HFD).

DataByte: Autism Awareness

By Brantley Scott April is Autism Awareness Month and the Office of Health Care Statistics at the Utah Department of Health, in partnership with the Disability and Health Program, decided to look at what other health conditions people with autism might have and how that compares with the general population. The data used in the DataByte comes from both commercial

DataByte: Back Imaging by Place of Service

By Brantley Scott Introduction: When it comes to back imaging there are many options to choose from. A great question to ask, is if an MRI or CT scan is needed or will a simple X-ray do? If it is decided that a more complicated MRI or CT scan is needed, will the procedure be done with or without dye?

DataByte: Colonoscopies by Place of Service

By Brantley Scott Introduction: One of most common shoppable medical procedures is colonoscopies. They are generally non-urgent with a variety of options for where these procedures can be performed. Depending on where the procedure is done the costs can be significantly different. The three most common places of service are at a clinic, ambulatory surgery, or an outpatient hospital setting.

DataByte: Opioid and Other Pain Medication Use in Utah

By Brantley Scott The opioid epidemic has received much attention both in Utah and nationally. According to the Utah Opidemic website, an average of five Utahns die from opioid overdose every week. There is much that can and should be done to prevent overdose incidents and deaths. This Office of Healthcare Statistics (OHCS) DataByte looks at both the percentage of

2017 Provider Payment Comparisons Methodology

2017_Provider_Payment_Comparison Methods

What is the cost of having a baby in Utah?

Find out what you’ll pay to have a baby where you live and across the state. Use the information to help you plan, negotiate prices and ask questions.Here you’ll find a comprehensive listing of Utah doctors, hospitals, clinics, medical groups, and health insurance companies, along with objective quality measurements and patient satisfaction information to help you find great care for

NHRI Report-From Claims to Clarity: Deriving Actionable Healthcare Cost Benchmarks from Aggregated Commercial Claims Data

Over the past  three years Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives (RHICs), working collectively through the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement’s (NRHI’s) Getting to Affordability Total Cost of Care initiative, have demonstrated the ability to assess and refine raw regional healthcare cost data, to standardize that data, and to use it in establishing meaningful, local practice level reports and comparisons within and

DataBytes

DataByte: Opioid Prescriptions and ER Overdose Trends 2017-2021

This DataByte looks at Utah opioid prescription and ER overdose trends from 2017-2021.

DataByte: Major Depressive Disorder

According to the American Psychiatric Association, major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, think, and act.1 Symptoms of major depressive disorder include, but are not limited to, feelings of sadness, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, sleep disorders, thoughts of suicide, feeling worthless or guilty, loss of energy or fatigue, and changes in appetite (weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting). This DataByte examines claim rates and allowed amounts for January 2019-April 2021 where major depressive disorder was the first-, second-, or third-listed diagnosis (ICD-10 code F33), using the Utah All Payers Claims Database.

DataByte: Childhood Immunization – Lower Vaccination Claim Rates in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [1], pediatric vaccine orders and administration saw a significant decline at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Given the pandemic continued beyond a year, the Utah Department of Health Office of Health Care Statistics sought to examine the current trend of insurance claims for this standard preventive health practice in our state.  

Databyte: A Snapshot of Hip and Knee Replacements and Cost in Utah

By: Laurel Galli-Graves & Brantley Scott According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, hips and knees are the two most commonly replaced joints.[1] Both of these surgeries are done to reduce patient pain and increase mobility. Although it is most common for seniors to require hip and knee replacements, other age groups may also need this type of

Databyte: A Snapshot of Hospitalizations and Costs of EVALI in Utah

By: Brantley Scott According to Yale Medicine[1], e-cigarette and vaping associated lung illness (EVALI) is defined as a significant medical condition in which a patient’s lungs become injured from ingredients contained in e-cigarettes and vaping products. Symptoms of EVALI can include, but are not limited to, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and shallow breathing. The main cause of EVALI according

DataByte: COVID-19’s Impact on Mail Order Prescriptions and Days Supplied

By: Brantley Scott Originally Published: May 28th 2021 The COVID-19 pandemic affected Utahns in many ways, from work arrangements, how we shop, and regular religious and social gatherings. Health care, as an industry, was also unquestionably impacted by the pandemic. In this DataByte, we examine how the pandemic influenced the amount of medication (days supplied) per prescription and use of

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month: A Snapshot of PTSD in Utah

By Carl Letamendi & Brantley Scott The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs/National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (NCPTSD) recognizes June as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness month. According to the NCPTSD, “PTSD is a mental health problem some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault”.[1] While generally,

DataByte: A Look at Emergency Department Visits for Migraine in Utah’s Urban, Rural, and Frontier Areas

Every 10 seconds, someone in the U.S. goes to the emergency room complaining of head pain, and approximately 1.2 million visits are for acute migraine attacks. In Utah, there has been a slight decrease in the number of people visiting the ED for a first-listed diagnosis of migraine over the past four years. The Utah ED visit rate per 100,000 population for first-listed diagnosis of migraine is highest in frontier areas (428.9), followed by rural (300.0) then urban (242.2) for 2016–2019.

DataByte: Flu Vaccination Trends

By Brantley Scott The United States has been gripped by the COVID-19 pandemic for most of 2020. In Utah, the number of cases and hospitalizations have increased markedly over the last few months.  The winter months and colder weather usually correspond with rising flu cases. This year, our healthcare system anticipates battling two competing challenges: COVID-19 and the seasonal flu.

Preliminary COVID-19 Healthcare Trends: A Snapshot from Utah’s All Payer Claims Database (UPDATED 2020-12-15)

The intent of these reports is to highlight emerging COVID-19 healthcare consumption trends using Utah’s All Payer Claims Database (APCD) and Healthcare Facility Database (HFD).

DataByte: Induced Delivery Trends in Utah

The results show an upward trend in the percentage of induced deliveries over the period of analysis (January 2016–June 2020). During the first quarter of 2016, about 32.6% of deliveries were induced. By the end of the second quarter of 2020, approximately 44.6% of deliveries were induced.

DataByte: Autism Awareness

By Brantley Scott April is Autism Awareness Month and the Office of Health Care Statistics at the Utah Department of Health, in partnership with the Disability and Health Program, decided to look at what other health conditions people with autism might have and how that compares with the general population. The data used in the DataByte comes from both commercial

DataByte: Back Imaging by Place of Service

By Brantley Scott Introduction: When it comes to back imaging there are many options to choose from. A great question to ask, is if an MRI or CT scan is needed or will a simple X-ray do? If it is decided that a more complicated MRI or CT scan is needed, will the procedure be done with or without dye?

DataByte: Colonoscopies by Place of Service

By Brantley Scott Introduction: One of most common shoppable medical procedures is colonoscopies. They are generally non-urgent with a variety of options for where these procedures can be performed. Depending on where the procedure is done the costs can be significantly different. The three most common places of service are at a clinic, ambulatory surgery, or an outpatient hospital setting.

DataByte: Maternal Risk Disparity in Geography and Typology

By Brantley Scott In the healthcare industry, two of the things that Utah is well known for are: having a healthy population and a high birth rate. However, Utah healthcare needs and risk are not homogeneous. In this DataByte we look briefly at the different maternal risk scores by county and by payer type, Commercial and Medicaid. We will also

DataByte: The Rise of Urgent Care Clinics and Telehealth

By Brantley Scott As healthcare costs balloon around the United States, people often wonder if anything can be done to lower costs and if any progress is being made to reduce healthcare costs. There has been much discussion on reducing the cost by limiting the amount of low-value or unnecessary care that is performed. One of the leading causes of

DataByte: Opioid and Other Pain Medication Use in Utah

By Brantley Scott The opioid epidemic has received much attention both in Utah and nationally. According to the Utah Opidemic website, an average of five Utahns die from opioid overdose every week. There is much that can and should be done to prevent overdose incidents and deaths. This Office of Healthcare Statistics (OHCS) DataByte looks at both the percentage of

Emergency Department

DataByte: The Rise of Urgent Care Clinics and Telehealth

By Brantley Scott As healthcare costs balloon around the United States, people often wonder if anything can be done to lower costs and if any progress is being made to reduce healthcare costs. There has been much discussion on reducing the cost by limiting the amount of low-value or unnecessary care that is performed. One of the leading causes of

Utah Emergency Room Utilization and Charge Reports

  2021 2020 2019 2018  2017 2016   

Facility Comparison

2017 Provider Payment Comparisons Methodology

2017_Provider_Payment_Comparison Methods

Health Plans

2019 Utah Health Plan Patient Experiences Report

The Utah Health Data Committee is pleased to present the 2019 Utah Health Plan Patient Experiences Report. This report describes how satisfied health plan members are with their experiences with the care provided to their members. These data come from an annual survey entitled the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS). The purpose of the report is to

HEDIS

Utah Health Plan Quality of Care Report 2020

This report displays results showing the quality of care members received under each Medicaid/CHIP health plan and commercial health plan reporting to the Office of Health Care Statistics as measured using HEDIS during calendar year 2019.