Managing health services - How the population health information system (POPULIS) works for policymakers

OBJECTIVES. University-based researchers in Manitoba, Canada, have used adm inistrative data routinely collected as part of the national health insuran ce plan to design an integrated database and population-based health inform ation system. This information system is proving useful to policymakers for answering such questions as: Which populations need more physician service s? Which need fewer? Are high-risk populations poorly served? or do they ha ve poor health outcomes despite being well served? Does high utilization re present overuse? or is it related to high need? More specifically, this sys tem provides decision makers with the capability to make critical compariso ns across regions and subregions of residents' health status, socioeconomic risk characteristics and use of hospitals, nursing homes, and physicians. The system permits analyses of demographic changes, expenditure patterns, a nd hospital performance in relation to the population served. The integrate d database has also facilitated outcomes research across hospitals and coun tries, utilization review within a single hospital, and longitudinal resear ch on health reform. The discussion highlights the strengths of integrated population-based information in analyzing the health care system and raisin g important questions about the relationship between health care and health .