The Center for Health Systems Innovation is uniquely positioned for innovation.

The Oklahoma State University (OSU) Center for Health Systems Innovation (CHSI) operates at the intersection of the OSU Spears School of Business and the OSU Center for Health Sciences. Leveraging these two schools uniquely positions CHSI to focus on both business and clinical innovations. Healthcare Delivery Innovation intensely focuses on rural primary care. We design, test and implement solutions to improve access to care, elevate quality of care and increase clinic efficiency.

 

Data Analytics manages and mines one of the largest HIPAA compliant relational databases to better understand the practice of medicine, leverage the wealth of patient data for improved outcomes and build predictive health models. Additionally, we also partner with research facilities, corporations, health providers, agencies and academic institutions as well as utilize social media, Oklahoma and national health data, and other public data sources to increase the amount and diversity of our data.

 

The OSU Health Access Network (HAN) is a service organization providing case management/care coordination, improved access to specialty care, expanded quality improvement and data analysis to enhance the medical capabilities of OSU SoonerCare Choice providers.

 

CHSI focuses on rural and Native American health.

OSU is a land grant institution with a long record of improving the lives of rural Oklahoma and operates the only health extension service in the state and it is present in all 77 counties. Moreover, OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine focuses on recruiting and training students who will practice in rural Oklahoma.

 

Rural and Native American health needs create opportunities for innovation

Rural healthcare is faced with phenomenal challenges. Rural physicians have trouble keeping up with increasing health care demands and cost management. Rural areas have substantial healthcare workforce shortages; most of Oklahoma qualifies as a federally recognized Health Professional Shortage Area. Additionally, rural healthcare providers must manage more chronic diseases than urban providers and do so with fewer resources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that rural areas have more per capita chronic conditions when controlled for age.

 

The poor state of rural health roosts at our backdoor. Oklahoma is one of the most access challenged states as measured by health care reform (NEJM). Oklahoma is ranked 48^th for the number of primary care physicians per capita (UHF). Oklahoma is also first in the nation for prescription narcotics abuse. Again and again, Oklahoma is consistently ranked among worst for health outcomes across disease state.