APCD Journal

Multi-Source Data Environments: Design, Development and Operation

FHC offers state agencies leading-edge techniques for managing and integrating complex data resources to support foundational analytics and reporting to inform policymakers and program administrators.

Freedman HealthCare (FHC) provides strategic guidance and technical support to help state agencies successfully integrate data sources. We advise on data governance frameworks, project management, and technical implementation approaches that enable agencies to combine complex data resources effectively, supporting analytics and reporting for policymakers and program administrators.

Freedman HealthCare teams give state agencies, non-profit organizations, and others the tools and guidance to develop powerful databases that drive change.

  • Strategic Planning and Project Management

    For data integration and data governance.

  • Use Case Development

  • Sustainability and Funding

  • Data Collection and Data Access Regulations

  • Data Quality

  • Data Architecture

  • Reports and Analyses

Freedman HealthCare Projects

Rhode Island

Freedman HealthCare's (FHC) cross-functional team led the design and implementation of the state's nationally recognized Executive Office of Health and Human Services Data Ecosystem – an integrated data system that systematically collects and links data from ten state agencies and partner organizations, including Medicaid, the Department of Labor and Training, Department of Health, Department of Corrections, the All-Payer Claims Database, the Department of Education, the Homeless Management Information System, and others. FHC brought agency data owners, stewards, and legal staff to agreement on data governance principles, processes, and documentation. This collaborative model set the stage for standardized member demographics tables and, more recently, processes for building a central index of social demographics of health (SDOH).

Hawaii

When Med-QUEST began planning its new analytic environment, Freedman HealthCare (FHC) led the visioning and strategic planning across multiple agencies to shape system design specifications. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, FHC identified the business case for the new platform: short-, medium- and long-term data needs; the timeframe and amount of funding necessary; the technological and infrastructure needs, including data governance; and the staffing needs. Working closely with state partners, FHC delivered draft and final federal funding documentation, a comprehensive work plan covering design and implementation, procurement documents, and a data governance plan. By partnering with state agencies, FHC laid the foundation for a cutting-edge analytics platform designed to meet today's needs and tomorrow's goals.

California

Freedman HealthCare (FHC) contributed national insight and best practices throughout the design and implementation of the California Healthcare Payments Database (HPD), covering nearly 38 million California residents. Today, FHC continues to help shape policy direction, public reporting options, and data access governance and policy. Recent sample presentations:

National Non-Claims Data Update (2023)

National Summary User Fee Schedules (2022)

National Update on APCD Data Release Committees (2022)

Delaware

When the Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) was legislatively charged to develop an All-Payer Claims Database (APCD), Freedman HealthCare (FHC) provided in-depth subject matter expertise to help launch the database. From launch to ongoing success, FHC delivers comprehensive support, including project management, data architecture, data quality assurance, and analytics. FHC designed Delaware Health Information Network's suite of APCD public-facing reports, DE HCCD Public Reports. Additionally, we oversaw the Delaware CostAware project – a public reporting initiative that compares the cost and quality of common episodes of care, outpatient services, and prescription drugs in Delaware.