On the Chronic Conditions web page, download the zip file Utilization/Spending State Level: All Beneficiaries, 2007-2017, which contains data related to utilization and standing.

From the zip file, save the four most recent calendar year Excel worksheets.

For each calendar year, review the "ED Visits" and "Readmissions" data recorded by each state for the critical chronic conditions monitored by CMS.

For Alaska state, evaluate both the "ED Visits" and "Readmissions" data from each of these four years for diabetes, heart failure, and a mental health related chronic condition of your choice.

In your initial post, discuss the trends in the data from your evaluation. Additionally, research the financial impact of one of your evaluated conditions on the U.S. population, and recommend one type of performance improvement initiative in the delivery of hospital services that may affect the financial trends found in your data.