The state has dropped two of its yardsticks for gauging the success of Oregon's health care transformation - because of their success.
Last year, Oregon had 17 ways to measure the success of health care changes, from cancer screenings to how well patients are controlling diabetes.
But now the state is dropping two metrics that have been widely implemented.
The first is a check on patients with newly prescribed ADHD medications.
And the second is the effort to stop women from scheduling a delivery before term, said says Lori Coyner with the Oregon Health Authority.
"Yes, it's been a great success," she said. "Most all of the hospitals in the state have a hard stop policy, meaning that they won't allow early deliveries unless they're medically necessary."
Coyner said that means there are now less health problems after pregnancy, and that saves money.
The three new measurements for next year include: the number of dentists that put sealants on kids' teeth to prevent cavities; smoking rates among patients; and the rate of contraceptive use among women who don't want to get pregnant.
Copyright 2014 Oregon Public Broadcasting
