News Release
For more information:
Barbara Tabor, APR
(651) 230-9192
barbara@taborpr.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MINNESOTA BRIDGES TO EXCELLENCE PROGRAM SEES RECORD
NUMBER OF CLINICS DELIVERING OPTIMAL CARE
Purchaser-led pay-for-performance initiative drives clinical improvements, better outcomes for
patients with diabetes, vascular disease and depression
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (July 30, 2014) – More Minnesotans than ever are receiving optimal
care for diabetes, depression and vascular disease, according to the Minnesota Health Action
Group (The Action Group) and its Minnesota Bridges to Excellence program. The Action Group
unveiled today the list of Minnesota and border state clinics that will share more than $700,000
in rewards for achieving specific clinical outcomes as part of the 2014 Minnesota Bridges to
Excellence program and the Minnesota Quality Incentive Payment System, a State of
Minnesota program also administered by The Action Group.
The rewarded clinics are being recognized for delivering optimal care and achieving or
improving specific outcomes for patients with diabetes, vascular disease and depression; three
conditions that are known to be primary drivers of health care costs. A record number of clinics
qualified for achievement – the highest level of recognition – in each of these three categories
this year, while a record number also qualified for improvement in vascular disease and
depression.
“We’re thrilled to see an increase in the overall number of clinics being rewarded, but what’s
even more important is the number of Minnesotans who are receiving better care and realizing better
health outcomes because of the commitment these health care providers have made to improving the
quality of care they deliver,” said Carolyn Pare, president and CEO of the Minnesota Health Action
Group.
According to Pare, the increase in rewarded clinics translates to more than 5,600
Minnesotans who received optimal care for diabetes compared to last year; more than 2,700
people who received optimal care for vascular disease; and more than 850 patients who
received improved depression care.
Minnesota is one of the few states that require public reporting of clinic-level scores for
diabetes, vascular disease and depression, in addition to other conditions and procedures. The Action
Group has sponsored the Minnesota Bridges to Excellence program since 2006 using clinical measures
developed by the Minnesota-based Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Data is selfreported by medical groups on behalf of their clinics to MN Community Measurement, where it is
verified, audited and publicly reported.
Individual clinics may qualify for a reward in more than one condition. Meeting the achievement
goal is the highest level of recognition in the program. Of the rewarded clinics in 2014: 62 are being
recognized for achieving optimal diabetes care, 69 for achieving optimal vascular care, and 75 for
achieving optimal depression care based on depression remission at six months.
In addition, 64 clinics are being recognized for meeting their improvement goal in optimal
diabetes care, 132 for improvement in optimal vascular care, and 49 for improvement in depression
remission at six months.
While the number of clinics being rewarded increased significantly this year, what is
even more compelling is that 12 Minnesota clinics were recognized for meeting the program’s
optimal care achievement goals in all three disease states, compared to only three clinics last
year:

Allina Health-Centennial Lakes

Allina Health-Richfield

Allina Health-Shoreview

Allina Health-Uptown

Entira Family Clinics-Maplewood/Battle Creek

Entira Family Clinics-Shoreview

Entira Family Clinics-Vadnais Heights

Entira Family Clinics-White Bear-Bellaire Avenue

Park Nicollet-Eagan

Park Nicollet-Maple Grove

Park Nicollet-Plymouth

Park Nicollet-Prairie Center
To be eligible for a Minnesota Bridges to Excellence reward, clinics must have a certain
percentage of patients at optimal levels of care or increase their percentage over the previous year.

For diabetes and vascular disease, composite measures are used that require a patient to meet
all individual measurement components to be considered at optimal care levels.

The diabetes measure includes levels of blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, along with
non-smoking status and daily aspirin use for all patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.

The vascular disease measure includes cholesterol and blood pressure levels, along with nonsmoking status, and daily aspirin.

And the depression measurement targets remission at six months based on improvement in the
patient’s PHQ-9 score over a six-month time period. The PHQ-9 is an assessment questionnaire
completed by patients that results in a numerical score representing the patient’s level of
depression.
Advised by a guiding coalition of purchasers, providers, health plans and organizations involved
with quality reporting and improvement, The Action Group sets the performance goals for the
Minnesota Bridges to Excellence program and oversees the provider reward process. Clinics that meet
the performance goals receive a financial reward based on the number of participating purchasers’
patients treated at the clinic.
Financial rewards are made possible by the Minnesota Bridges to Excellence Champions of
Change, a group of organizations that sponsor the pay-for-performance programs. Champions include
Best Buy, Carlson Companies, Southwest/West Central Service Cooperative, State of Minnesota-State
Employee Group Insurance Plan, the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the University of
Minnesota, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo. These organizations provide health care coverage to nearly
900,000 people in the state.
To learn more about Minnesota Bridges to Excellence and to view or download photos from the
2014 clinic recognition event, visit http://mnhealthactiongroup.org.
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About the Minnesota Health Action Group
Formed in 1988, the Buyers Health Care Action Group (d.b.a., Minnesota Health Action Group) is a coalition of public and
private employers working to reshape the health care system through greater innovation, collaboration and engagement.
Based in Bloomington, Minn., the Minnesota Health Action Group is committed to creating meaningful dialogue that improves
health care for everyone. To learn more, visit www.mnhealthactiongroup.org.