A. As a result of rising health care costs and concerns expressed by health care providers, health care consumers, third-party payors and the general public, and as a result of public health information showing that Oklahoma has a higher death rate than the national average, the Oklahoma Legislature finds that there is an urgent need to establish and maintain, for the purposes of accurately assessing the health of the public, health care planning and cost containment, an information base for the State of Oklahoma that will facilitate ongoing analysis and evaluation of patterns and trends in the health status of Oklahomans, the utilization and costs of health care services, and the capability of the various components of the health care industry to provide needed services.

B. The Oklahoma Health Care Information System shall be responsible for the development and operation of a method for collecting, processing and disseminating health care data including, but not limited to, quality, expenditure and utilization data. It is the intent of the Legislature that a uniform set of data be periodically and routinely compiled that will make possible the ongoing analysis, comparison and evaluation of trends in the quality and delivery of health care services in this state for the purpose of effective health care planning by public and private entities, cost containment, health facility development, and improving access to and quality of care.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 347, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1992. Amended by Laws 1998, c. 389, § 4, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 332, § 1, eff. July 1, 2000.