Evaluation Texas Health & Human Services
The Institute for Child Health Policy is the contracted External Quality Review Organization (EQRO) for the State of Texas’ Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Texas Team
Team effort for health insurance
The people who work on this contract are united in their pursuit of an accurate portrait of public health insurance in Texas. They apply scientific methods alongside analytical skills to produce helpful products and required reports.
Texas Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program provide healthcare services to nearly 5 million people from low-income families or with disabilities. This program, administered through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, must assess the quality of its care. The EQRO team provides evidence-based information to Texas about the care provided to Medicaid enrollees and covered children.
Portal
Texas Healthcare Learning Collaborative
With our support, this web portal from Texas Health and Human Services offers public reporting and and accountability of services and care being provided under the Texas Medicaid system.
Partners
Working with partners across disciplines enhances this process and results in high-quality products.
OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network
The OneFlorida+ Clinical Research Network is a collaboration among researchers, clinicians and patients to create an enduring infrastructure for a wide range of health research, including pragmatic clinical trials, comparative effectiveness research, implementation science studies, observational research, and cohort discovery.
University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston
The University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston serves the entire state, and it is located in the state’s largest city.
UF Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics
Part of the College of Medicine, the Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics provides a centralized location for experts from a variety of disciplines.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EQRO for Texas?
The University of Florida was awarded a contract by the State of Texas that requires an External Quality Review Organization (EQRO). This organization, based at the Institute for Child Health Policy, pulls together researchers and experts who can fulfill this contract.
Why is this necessary?
State Medicaid agencies are required by law to complete annual independent and external evaluations of their services. A report must be produced that demonstrates a comprehensive review of quality control. This process verifies that tax dollars are wisely spent and that clients receive high-quality health care.
How does the EQRO work?
This team includes faculty members and support staff organized into four research units:
- Quality Improvement and Implementation Science
- Data Science and Analytics
- Evaluation Research
- Biostatistics and Geospatial Analysis.
The team has leadership and an accountability structure. Additional support comes from the UF Colleges of Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, and Public Health and Health Professions.
Who benefits from this work?
Millions of people depend upon the Texas Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program. They should ultimately benefit from a process that holds providers accountable for their services. Quality improvements become possible when there is clear and comprehensive evidence from real-world data.