Premier Provides Input on Changes to Federal Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data

Premier weighed in on an initial set of proposed changes to the statistical standards used across federal agencies to collect data on race and ethnicity. A federal interagency working group will use this feedback to shape final recommendations to Administration on ways these standards should be updated to better reflect changes in the U.S. population and evolving needs and uses for data. In its comments, Premier expressed general support for the working groups recommendations to revise the Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity (SPD 15) to collect more granular data on race and ethnicity. Collecting data at this level will allow researchers, stakeholders and policymakers to better evaluate inequities in care and identify specific populations that are affected by certain diseases or health outcomes. Better data collection overall will allow for stakeholders to analyze and implement evidence-based interventions that drive clinical quality improvements and ultimately advance health equity. Premier also advised the technical working group to:

• Prioritize patient-reported data to the extent feasible;
• Work with technical expert panels to refine imputation or sampling methodologies to address challenges with small populations;
• Develop guidance for both surveyors and the public on the updated standards, including new definitions and categories; and
• Explore development of an electronic central repository of race and ethnicity data.