Dashboards of key performance indicators are commonly used by businesses and increasingly in the public sector. Now the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has implemented a dashboard to monitor the performance of the Medi-Cal managed care program and participating health plans. A report from the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) gives the first look at the key indicators used.

CHCF held a Sacramento briefing to cover highlights from the report, including measures of care quality, consumer experience, and health plan finances.

Among the topics discussed:

• What are the areas in which Medi-Cal managed care is performing well?
• What are the areas in which improvements are needed?
• How does performance vary among participating health plans?
• How is DHCS using a performance dashboard to monitor Medi-Cal managed care?
• How can the dashboard improve legislative oversight?
• What are the strengths of performance dashboards as monitoring tools, and what are their limitations?
• What steps should be taken to improve the dashboard?

Speakers included:

• Anne Jacobs, MHA, managing director, Navigant Consulting
• Hanford Lin, MHA, associate director, Navigant Consulting
• Chris Perrone, MPP, deputy director of Health Reform and Public Programs, CHCF
• Marjorie Swartz, JD, principal consultant, California Assembly Committee on Health
• Margaret Tatar, JD, assistant deputy director, Health Care Delivery Systems, DHCS

A recording of the event and the presentation slides are available below. The complete report is available through the Related CHCF page below.