Print copies of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio 2005 Annual Report are available by e-mailing Jason Sanford. Please include complete contact information (including organization name, mail address, zip code, and phone number), along with how many copies are needed.

Health Policy Institute of Ohio 2005 Annual Report

Download HPIO's 2005 Annual Report
(March 2006, pdf format, 6 MB)
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From the President's Letter:

I am pleased to share with you the first Annual Report of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. Since our start-up in January 2004, we have welcomed the opportunities and challenges that come with bringing a neutral, independent voice to the health policymaking landscape of Ohio.

As a team, my staff and I have strived to be nimble and responsive to the information needs of policymakers, and we have worked purposefully to establish our Institute as the premier resource in Ohio for non-partisan, evidence-based health policy information. And very deliberately, we have focused on encouraging dialogue among policymakers and other diverse stakeholders who share a belief that informed policymaking is key to improving the health of Ohioans.

These are not easy times and policymakers who are making difficult choices require information quickly—information that is balanced, unbiased, and up-to-date.

This year, the Institute sponsored events and distributed publications on a wide array of health-related topics that added a richness to the dialogue in Ohio. In 2005, Institute publications focused on the topics of health disparities; key oral health issues in Ohio; understanding the Ohio Medicaid program; policy challenges resulting from rising rates of obesity; the status of health information technology (HIT) in Ohio; and results from the Ohio Family Health Survey related to poverty and health insurance.

Also in 2005, the Institute hosted numerous events that brought lawmakers, policymakers, employers, providers, and consumers together to discuss health issues and engage in candid dialogue. Those events included a policy forum featuring national and Ohio experts who focused on the prevailing research on obesity, weight, and health; a statewide kick-off conference for a strategic effort to coordinate and integrate information technology throughout Ohio’s health care system; and a roundtable of key stakeholders in the field of oral health to assess the impact of dental care workforce policies in Ohio.

I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight how indebted my staff and I are for the steadfast support of the Institute Board of Directors and funders who share our aspirations and sense of urgency. I would especially like to thank our founding funders—the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland, the George Gund Foundation, the Cleveland Foundation, the Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation, the Anthem Foundation of Ohio, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton—and the other funders who have given us their support, including the SC Ministry Foundation, the United Way of Central Ohio, the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and the United Way of Greater Cleveland. As a result of their shared vision, their unwavering commitment, and their determination to make a difference, we have set a course in Ohio for health policy decision making founded on evidence, analysis, dialogue, and education.

We are also indebted to our sister health policy institutes around the country that have paved the way in providing leadership and information that promotes sound public policy decision making. We have solid bonds with and immeasurable respect for visionaries such as Camille Miller of the Texas Health Institute, Bob St. Peter of the Kansas Health Institute, and Pamela Hanes of the Colorado Health Institute who generously share their time and wisdom so that Ohioans may learn and benefit from the experiences and successes of other states.

We know that to contribute to the improved health of Ohioans, my staff and I must work even harder in the upcoming year to provide high quality information, promote dialogue on health issues, and expand the intensity and scope of the health issues we explore. We have an ambitious agenda for 2006, and my staff and I invite you—our many colleagues and friends of the Institute—to explore that agenda with us, take up the challenges ahead, and share in our journey.

William Hayes, Ph.D.
President
Health Policy Institute of Ohio