USE CASE: Linking Kaiser Permanente Colorado Membership Records to Colorado Medicaid Data
The Kaiser Permanente Colorado Institute for Health Research (IHR) is a research department integrated into a healthcare delivery system that conducts, publishes, and disseminates epidemiologic, behavioral, health services, implementation and clinical research. The IHR also hosts a clinical trials program, and a robust community evaluation team.
Project Summary: Opioid overdoses have reached epidemic proportions in Colorado and the United States. At Kaiser Permanente Colorado, we have several studies and quality improvement projects examining overdose events in our patient population. Within our population, there are gaps in insurance coverage. CO APCD longitudinal data can fill gaps in enrollment in our healthcare system and provide data on Medicaid beneficiaries who can seek care from a range of external providers. The purpose of the study is to obtain complete data on opioid use risk factors and outcomes to improve the validity of our research.
Benefit to Colorado: This research will provide key evidence about opioid use, overdose, and expanded access to overdose treatment. Coloradans will benefit from this project through new science about how to prevent poor outcomes from opioid use.