HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that Minnesota has made great strides in promoting patient safety and quality healthcare delivery. According to the latest Minneapolis Market Overview, with new reporting standards for hospitals and pay-for-performance initiatives, quality care initiatives continue to have an impact on healthcare delivery.
"This highly evolved and consolidated healthcare market has introduced new preventive care programs and initiatives designed to further align provider and consumer incentives to improve medical outcomes," states Carolyn McMeekin, associate director of Market Overview analysis for HealthLeaders-InterStudy.
In 2006, the Minnesota Department of Health released its second annual public report detailing preventable adverse events occurring in Minnesota hospitals. Following reporting standards developed by the National Quality Forum, a Washington, D.C.-based healthcare "watchdog group," hospitals are now required to report 27 types of medical errors to the Minnesota Department of Health.
Pay-for-performance programs that reward physicians and hospitals for quality care also continue to be successful. HealthPartners, a national leader in P4P initiatives, recently awarded $500,000 in physician bonuses to 39 medical groups in Minnesota and western Wisconsin through its Partners in Excellence program. Physician groups were rewarded for meeting goals to improve patient care and safety in 2005. Since the program began in 1997, the health system has improved health outcomes for patients with diabetes, brought tobacco use for HealthPartners members to an all-time low and increased the use of generic drugs
Other news about the Minneapolis healthcare market: - Retail health clinics continue to have a strong presence in the Twin Cities market, with over 20 local MinuteClinic care sites housed in grocery stores, pharmacies and other convenient retail locations. - Healthy Minnesota: A Partnership for Reform, a 26-member steering committee of local leaders from healthcare, business, state government, labor, education and consumer advocacy, has been formed with the goal of implementing strategies for reform that have wide acceptance from leading healthcare stakeholders. About Market Overviews
Market Overviews provides a detailed analysis of local healthcare markets, allowing healthcare businesses to plan their local strategies.
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For more information, contact: Kelly Morphy HealthLeaders-InterStudy 615-369-4818 kmorphy@healthleaders-interstudy.com
SOURCE: HealthLeaders-InterStudy
CONTACT: Kelly Morphy of HealthLeaders-InterStudy, +1-615-369-4818, or
kmorphy@healthleaders-interstudy.com
Web site: http://www.healthleaders-interstudy.com/
