In this issue
Minnesota
again ranked #1 in the nation for overall quality of health care
The federal Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ)
has once again named Minnesota the top state for health care quality.
Minnesota’s strong performance speaks to its long-standing tradition of
integrated systems that coordinate care across the continuum. The ranking is
based on a new version of the agency's State Snapshots,
released last week.
In addition, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, on
average, Minnesota health care spending is less costly per capita than the
national average while maintaining high quality, making Minnesota one of the
states with the highest quality and lowest health care costs in the nation.
Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson recognized the accomplishment,
saying, "This No. 1 ranking is another affirmation we deserve our
reputation as nationwide leaders for health care in Minnesota, from overall
quality, to coverage and affordability. We are very fortunate at the
Minnesota Department of Human Services to work alongside health care providers
and professionals across the state committed to achieving better care for all
residents through innovation and collaboration.”
The Minnesota Hospital Association thanks the health professionals in our
hospitals and clinics, as well as the organizations we partner with in the
community, for their innovation and care that is improving the health of
Minnesotans and keeping costs down. return to top
MDH
health advisory contains recommendations for evaluating patients for Ebola
virus
On Friday, Oct. 3, the Minnesota Department of Health issued a health advisory providing recommendations for
evaluating patients for possible Ebola virus. The advisory asks health care
providers to:
- Increase vigilance in inquiring
about a history of travel to West Africa in the 21 days before illness
onset for any patient presenting with fever or other symptoms consistent
with Ebola;
- Isolate patients who report a
travel history to an Ebola-affected country (currently Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea) and who are exhibiting Ebola symptoms in a private room
with a private bathroom and implement standard, contact, and droplet
precautions (gown, facemask, eye protection, and gloves); and
- Immediately notify MDH at
651-201-5414 or 1-877-676-5414.
The advisory also contains guidance from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), including an algorithm for the evaluation of a returned traveler
and a checklist for evaluation of a patient being evaluated for Ebola. CDC also has a comprehensive website dedicated to Ebola,
available here.
For more information, visit the MDH Ebola for Health Professionals webpage. return to top
Member
news: Essentia Health names David Herman, MD, as CEO
Essentia Health in Duluth announced its board of directors has
appointed David C. Herman, MD, as chief executive officer and a member of the
board of directors. He joins the organization in early 2015.
Dr. Herman, who is a
native of International Falls, Minn., received his medical degree from Mayo
Medical School in Rochester, Minn., and completed his residency in
ophthalmology at Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education. He has a
fellowship in ocular immunology and uveitis from the National Eye Institute,
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. He also has a master of
science degree in medical management from the University of Texas at
Dallas.
With more than 20 years in health care leadership, Herman most recently served
as the president and chief executive officer of Vidant Health, an integrated
health care system in eastern North Carolina. Prior to that, he served on
the Mayo Clinic staff from 1988 to 2011. He serves on the board of directors
for the American Board of Ophthalmology and is a member of the (international)
board of trustees for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. return to top
MAPS
campaign seeks to empower patients to actively manage their own health care
The Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS), through its
work with MHA under the Leading Edge Advanced Practice Topics contract from the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, has launched the You: Your Own Best Medicine
campaign, designed to help Minnesotans partner with their health care teams to
stay healthy and safe. The campaign encourages patients to be the coordinator
of information sharing and provides a checklist of things patients can do
before, during and after a health care appointment to ensure the health care
team has the right information to provide care. It reminds patients that often
only they know their entire health care story, including medication, test and
treatment histories, as well as symptoms. The campaign also offers a free
smartphone app that allows patients to keep and share their lists of medicines,
warning signs, test results and recommendations. Patients can set reminders
about important follow-up steps. Learn more about the campaign at www.ownbestmedicine.mn. return to top
Gov.
Dayton recognizes nurse leaders
Gov. Dayton proclaimed Oct. 2 as
Minnesota Organization of Nurse Leaders Day, calling the organization “the
collective voice of nurse leaders guiding nurses and nursing and impacting the
health care system in the state of Minnesota.” The proclamation went on to say
that through collaboration, collegiality and communication, nursing leaders
share knowledge and expertise to gain new information and perspectives. MOLN
has dedicated itself to shaping the future of health care by advancing
professional nursing leadership for 20 years. return to top
Gov. Dayton proclaims Oct. 5-11 Mental Illness
Awareness Week
Gov. Dayton proclaimed Oct. 5-11
Mental Illness Awareness Week, calling it an opportunity for all Minnesotans to
take stock of how people with mental illness are treated on a daily basis, and
reflect on what changes need to be made to strengthen our mental health system
to ensure we are taking care of people in need.
MHA supports hospitals and their patients with mental health conditions,
chemical dependency, dual diagnoses, and other conditions by sharing best
practices in treatment and de-escalation techniques. MHA has also partnered
with the state of Minnesota to create and run Minnesota Mental Health Access, an online tool
to help providers locate available mental health services. To learn more about
Minnesota hospital efforts, visit the MHA website. return to top