Enabling Real-Time Data-Driven Public Policy Decision Making
Most recently, Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal) has been saving millions of dollars for the federal government. Most importantly, the data provided to the clients is timely and actionable. Optimal’s real-time project with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has produced close to $500,000 in savings in the last six months. » Read more
Apple Inc. (Apple) recently approved an application for a developer license to Optimal Solutions Group, LLC, (Optimal) to develop smart phone applications to use in accordance with its real-time projects. The license provides access to the Apple Safari Developer Program, the iOS Developer Program, and the Mac Developer Program. Optimal plans to use the license for immediate development of applications for its multimodal support system project, which assists children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). » Read more
With quality measurement and improvement being key components of the 2010 health reform legislation, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) are working to identify opportunities for improvement in the quality of patient care while protecting the integrity of the Medicare Trust Fund. Through the Measure and Instrument Development and Support (MIDS) contract, Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal), completed various return on investment analysis of potential quality indicators for CMS per the measure development guidelines, the Measure Management System (MMS) Blueprint. » Read more
Old Dominion University (ODU) Assistant Professor of Economics Dr. Berna Demiralp presented at Optimal Solutions Group’s, LLC, (Optimal’s) Brown Bag on Friday, March 25. Dr. Demiralp’s paper, titled, “Wealth, Human Capital, and the Transition to Entrepreneurship,” co-authored by Dr. Johanna Francis (Fordham University), explores the importance of liquidity constraints in the entrepreneurial choice decision and whether it varies across individuals with different levels of human capital. » Read more
A researcher for the Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research, gave a presentation on the subject of his dissertation, “Does prevalence matter?” at Optimal Solutions Group, LLC’s Brown Bag on Wednesday, March 30. Dr. Kaiser spoke about the role of prevalence in health care disparities among rare and non-rare cancer groups, specifically comparing Blacks and Whites in areas of mortality rates, quality of care and access to preventative, primary and follow-up care. » Read more
University of Maryland alumnus Dr. Calvin Johnson of the Court Services & Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) led Optimal Solutions Group, LLC’s (Optimal’s) first Real-Time Policy Seminar with his presentation, “Business Intelligence and Predictive Analytics in Criminal Justice: Assessing the Risk of Failure While Under Community Supervision,” on Friday, February 4. Dr. Johnson explained how CSOSA uses predictive analytics from a Screening and Assessment through Quality Assurance processes. He demonstrated a CSOSA dashboard in use and detailed the level of coordination involved across multiple agencies needed to collect required data. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A session that focused on identifying trends as a way to prevent crime. The panel discussed how a multidisciplinary approach works best for crime prevention. » Read more
As Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal) incorporates software development into its real-time framework in public policy, it has initiated the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) training necessary to achieve the maturity levels required to provide its clients with solid applications and data-driven solutions. According to the Software Engineering Institute (SEI, 2008), CMMI helps “integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.” » Read more
The University of Maryland, College Park recently hosted its 2nd Annual International Conference on Social, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling and Prediction. Speakers from academia, government agencies and various other industries gathered for tutorial workshops, discussions, a cross-fertilization workshop, and poster session. » Read more
The 36th Annual Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) Conference was held in late March. The conference focuses on encouraging multidisciplinary research on salient education finance and policy issues, broad-based dialogue concerning policy, practice, and research, and bridging the gap between research and application and to broaden the focus of education finance and policy. Attending this conference was Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal) researcher Mark Partridge, who presentated on the implementation of a longer (7-hour) school day throughout the nation. » Read more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (www.cms.gov) has awarded 10 Indefinite-Quantity Indefinite-Delivery contracts to 10 small businesses to conduct general research, analysis, demonstration, and survey activities relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) issues related to uninsured populations, and other aspects of CMS program responsibilities. » Read more