Texas Health Care Information Collection
You may be wondering who is the Texas Health Care Information Collection (THCIC) agency and why do we care what they do? THCIC was created by the 74th Texas Legislature in 1995. THCIC’s primary purpose is to provide data enabling Texas consumers and health plan purchasers to make informed health care decisions. THCIC collects data and reports on the quality of hospitals and health organizations in Texas. An additional goal is to help consumers have an impact on the quality of health care in Texas. It should be important to all of us to have an agency dedicated to the collection, analysis and dissemination of health data. It is crucial to support the development of state health data organizations as this information can be used to address local health issues and inform national studies. For more information, please visit their website at www.dshs.state.tx.us/thcic/default.shtm .
The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council Foundation (DFWHC Foundation) proudly assists more than 70 North Texas hospitals to comply with this requirement. Through collaboration and guidance from hospital partners, the Information and Quality Services Center (IQSC) maintains analytical tools allowing hospitals to interrogate their own data and compare themselves to other facilities. This data is important to the DFWHC Foundation’s mission of continually improving the community’s health.
As with any government entity, when a new legislative session starts there are bills introduced that have an effect on contributions to the state. We are now into Texas’ 82nd biennial legislative session, which began Jan. 11. I’ve had many questions about bills presented and how they impact our data. I am aware of nine bills that specifically discuss THCIC. Below is a list of the current bills and their link at Texas Legislature Online if you want to catch up on light reading—well maybe not ‘light.’
SB8: Relating to improving the quality and efficiency of health care.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/billlookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB8
SB156: Relating to health care data collected by the Department of State Health Services and access to certain confidential patient information within the department.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB156
HB396: Relating to health care data collected by the Department of State Health Services and access to certain confidential patient information within the department.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB396
SB622: Relating to the privacy of protected health information and personal information; providing civil and criminal penalties.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB622
SB401: Relating to the licensing and regulation of diagnostic imaging facilities and fluoroscopy-guided pain management procedure centers; providing penalties.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB401
SB701: Relating to high-value data sets of state agencies posted on the Internet.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=SB701
HB300: Relating to the privacy of protected health information; providing civil penalties.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB300
HB1875: Relating to the repeal of certain health programs, task forces, and councils, and to the review of certain health programs, councils, and divisions under the Texas Sunset Act.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB1875
HB2459: Relating to health care information submitted to the Department of State Health Services.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=82R&Bill=HB2459
Theresa Mendoza
tmendoza@dfwhcfoundation.org