NM-IBIS Background
Indicator-Based
NM-IBIS stands for New Mexico's Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health. Outcome measures found in the NM-IBIS System are indicators of important public health constructs. The New Mexico Department of Health regularly examines outcome measures to:- Track and evaluate progress toward goals.
- Guide policy decisions, priorities and long-range strategic plans.
- Develop, focus, and streamline data collection and reporting capacity.
- Provide comprehensive information of New Mexico's health and health care system.
The Department is working to standardize health status and health system indicators across programs, and to publish those indicators.
Public Health Assessment
In 1988, the Institute of Medicine proposed government had a three-pronged role in public health:- to develop policy that supports the health of populations,
- to assure access to health care and the quality of that care, and
- to assess the health status of the population.
An understanding of the health status of a population is necessary to plan, implement, and evaluate public health programs. The U.S. Public Health Service responded to the need for accurate and timely public health assessment. They recommend public health entities regularly and systematically track population health objectives
New Mexico's Assessment Capacity
Over the past decade, the New Mexico Department of Health has substantially improved its assessment capacity by:- establishing the Community Health Assessment Program to support and coordinate public health assessment activities across the Department,
- affording easy access to major data bases and developing methods to analyze the data, including development of innovative information systems, and
- substantially improving the use of health information to guide health policy decisions and evaluate our efforts to assure the health of New Mexicans.
Why an IBIS?
An ibis is the symbol for the ancient Egyptian god Thoth. He was often depicted
as an ibis-headed man holding a pen and a palette. He was the god of writing and
learning, wisdom, and many other things. Some sources say he was god of magic and
medicine (which were not distinct concepts at the time.) Thoth is credited with the
invention of writing and numbers.
