The cost and quality of health care, as well as access to care and health outcomes, continue to vary widely among states, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System's second state scorecard report. The states that led in the first state scorecard, released in 2007, generally continued to lead, often setting new benchmarks and widening the gap between leading and lagging states. Aiming Higher for Health System Performance: A Profile of Seven States That Perform Well on The Commonwealth Fund's 2009 State Scorecard is a companion to the 2009 State Scorecard that profiles seven health systems: six that rank among the top quartile of states—Vermont, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin—plus Delaware, which was among the most-improved states from 2007 to 2009.
Also, an interactive map makes it easy to view state-specific rankings and results as well as estimates of the lives and dollars that could be saved if a state's performance were brought up to benchmark levels. You can create custom bar charts, tables, and Powerpoint slides comparing states that you choose on performance indicators you select.
An accompanying video features Commonwealth Fund senior vice president Cathy Schoen and Fund president Karen Davis explaining the scorecard findings.