New report finds quality of care at Essentia among highest in state

February 17, 2020 - 1:12am | By Chris Larson

A new report by Minnesota Community Measurement (MNCM) names Essentia Health as a high performer in several quality and safety measures for the second consecutive year.

MNCM is a nonprofit that focuses on improving health care costs and quality. Its annual report ranks Essentia among nine medical groups out of 213 from Minnesota and neighboring states that achieved high performance on at least half of the measures for which each organization is eligible. The report includes data on preventive and depression care and care for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

“These results are a testament to the great work our colleagues do day in and day out to provide the best possible care to the people in our communities,” said Dan Collins, vice president of quality at Essentia Health.

Essentia achieved above-average rates on seven of the eight mental-health screening and adult-depression measures, with a rate above 50% for the depression follow-up measure, well above the statewide average.

Essentia also was ranked a high performer among chronic-condition measures, with above-average rates on five of the six.

The top nine high-performing medical groups include: Essentia Health, Central Pediatrics, Entira Family Clinics, HealthPartners Central Minnesota Clinics, HealthPartners Clinics, Mankato Clinic, Park Nicollet Health Services, South Lake Pediatrics and Wayzata Children’s Clinic.

Here are the 14 quality measures in which Essentia was ranked above the state average. Only two other medical groups, located in the Twin Cities, achieved high-performer status on a greater number of quality measures: