44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO HEALTH POLICY COMMISSION TO LEAD A STATE AGENCY EFFORT TO STREAMLINE AND STANDARDIZE HEALTH DATA COLLECTION.

WHEREAS, information is essential to both effective planning and policymaking, as demonstrated repeatedly by policy inadequacies due to insufficient correct data; and

WHEREAS, the Health Information System Act requires an integrated statewide health data system, resulting in the implementation of healthlink New Mexico that is providing a foundation for and access to integrated health information; and

WHEREAS, state government health data is fragmented in its collection and retention by a variety of state departments and agencies, often resulting in excessive duplication; and

WHEREAS, effective use of data is impeded by lack of knowledge of what data is collected and maintained in which agencies and programs, confidentiality and privacy concerns, and the absence of common data standards and definitions; and

WHEREAS, data collection and maintenance is costly to the state, and duplicative reporting requirements present considerable burdens to private industry;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the New Mexico health policy commission, with the support and cooperation of all affected state agencies and departments, develop an effective system of standardized data collection and maintenance for state government; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the health data project include an inventory of all health information collected by the state, identifying areas of duplication and overlap; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that assessment be made of the feasibility and desirability of coordination of data reporting requirements, collection and maintenance and the standardization of data definitions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that attention be given to reducing data reporting requirements, collection and maintenance and the integration of data from different data bases, and provision for data sharing by state agencies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be sent to the New Mexico health policy commission and to the office of the governor for distribution to all appropriate agencies.