The Path Forward Will Fast Track Proven Mental Health Strategies–Blog

The amazing number of people who attended — and stayed engaged for the entire day with — the April 29, 2020, Employer Leadership Summit on driving improvement in mental health care and outcomes was a testament to their commitment to solving for the rapid escalation in mental health needs together. During the Summit, we discussed… Read More

Depression Care in Minnesota: We Can’t Let Another Year Go By–Blog

MN Community Measurement (MNCM) recently released the 2019 Health Care Quality Report. We want to highlight the good news, the troubling news, and the opportunity — with a special focus on mental health and health care in Minnesota. First, the good news.   We have a level of transparency about health care quality in Minnesota… Read More

Blog: March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! Employers can Pledge to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screenings

Since 2000, March has been designated “Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.” To drive a measurable increase in screenings and reduce deaths due to colorectal cancer, employers can participate in the 80% Pledge sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. It’s a national effort to raise colorectal cancer screening rates to at… Read More

Bringing Employee Health Plan Benefits into 20/20 Focus! – Blog by Jon Schloemer, Vice President of HR Shared Services, Fleet Farm, Action Group Board Member

With the New Year comes a new focus on gaining insight into Minnesota health plan benefit benchmarks and employer innovations to inform 2021 open enrollment planning. The Minnesota Health Action Group Annual Employer Benefits Survey — which is confidential, unbiased, free and open to all employers with employees in Minnesota — is an outstanding resource… Read More

Inquiring Minds Might Want to Know – Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President

“While it’s no surprise that we have a long way to go before we achieve parity in mental health care, the Minnesota version of the eValue8 Deep Dive is an important step to get every stakeholder on a shared path that will generate accelerated action toward long overdue change.” Nance Lee Mosquera, Benefits Manager, City… Read More

Reflections on an Extraordinary and Enriching Journey: Carolyn Pare’s Farewell Blog

We gathered questions from Carolyn’s network to share her thoughts on her tenure with The Action Group, plans for the future, and hopes for her successor What was your primary aspiration when you took over as president and CEO of The Action Group 20 years ago? Before I became a Board member and eventually Board… Read More

What Should I Do Now? Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President

“Given the unsettling fact that death rates are increasing in areas like suicide and substance use at a time when more money is being spent than ever before on behavioral health, employers can and must demand data, enabling them to create a detailed, specific plan to address deficiencies.”  Henry Harbin, M.D., Psychiatrist, Health Care Consultant,… Read More

What’s Wrong with this Picture? Health Care System Waste and How Employers Can Take Action–By: Carolyn Pare, Action Group President and CEO

A close friend and colleague recently shared some troubling news. Despite having a respectable income and health insurance, she has been off her blood pressure and cholesterol medications for several months because she can’t afford the hundreds of dollars for the office/lab visit required to renew her prescriptions.   The prescriptions themselves are… Read More

Can We Talk?–Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President (Part 3 of 3)

“Poor mental health in the construction industry has been called a ‘silent epidemic,’ with work-related stress, depression and anxiety having overtaken musculoskeletal disorders as the most reported workplace health issue in the sector. By collaborating with members of The Action Group’s Mental Health Guiding Coalition, our voice in the marketplace is amplified so we can… Read More

Can We Talk?–Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President (Part 2 of 3)

With all of the recent attention to mental health globally and nationally, this is a ‘moment in time.’ Employers are uniquely positioned to positively impact the market by articulating their expectations for high-value care and asking questions that hold their vendors accountable to high standards and positive outcomes.” Darcy Gruttadaro, Director of the American Psychiatric… Read More

Can We Talk?–Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President (Part 1 of 3)

“One in five people living in the U.S. will develop a mental illness or substance use disorder in their lives. Many of these people will lose their jobs because they are unwilling or unable to talk about their symptoms, obtain treatment, or ask for accommodations. It’s ironic since we know work helps people get better… Read More

Inviting Diversity into the Workplace Creates Thriving Organizations–Blog by Jean Hanvik

“Diversity really means becoming complete as human beings—all of us. We learn from each other.” Juan Felipe Herrera As a long-time entrepreneur with considerable tours of duty in “Big Corporate” and “Big Consulting,” I couldn’t resist the invitation to attend a recent University of Minnesota Advanced Careers Initiative seminar titled, “Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding… Read More

I’m In. Are You?–Blog by Jon Schloemer, VP of HR Shared Services, Fleet Farm, Action Group Board Member

We’ve turned the corner, a new year has begun, and it’s time for The Action Group’s Annual Employer Benefits Survey. In my 2017 blog, I emphasized that the Survey takes less than an hour to complete, and it provides value to employers in the form of comprehensive benchmarks, unique insights, and networking and collaboration with… Read More

Better Together! The Action Group Unites Stakeholders to Accelerate Change in the Health Care Marketplace–Blog by Carolyn Pare

Review of 2018, Looking Ahead to 2019 Even in an environment where politics and public debate are increasingly acrimonious, a very positive and encouraging message we repeatedly hear from our members and other friends of The Action Group is this: “I am optimistic that TOGETHER, we will be able to accelerate performance improvement in key… Read More

Let’s Make it Happen–Blog by Deb Krause, Action Group Vice President

The message at the Mental Health Community Dialogue was clear: Join us. Liz Beckius of Best Buy and Nance Lee Mosquera of The City of St. Paul carried the message on behalf of all employers in the Mental Health Learning Network: “Join us in accelerating performance improvement in integrated mental health care.” Making progress together… Read More

Guidance and Support for Employees Facing the Stress of Caregiving: Caregiving touches each of us at some point in our lives By: Jean Hanvik and Michael Walsh

Michael Walsh, CEO of Cariloop, is interviewed by Jean Hanvik about the complexities of caregiving and how employers can help relieve the anxiety of caring for a loved one while working a full-time job. Cariloop was the winner of The Action Group’s Innovator’s Showcase at the 2018 Annual Employer Leadership Summit. JH: We know that… Read More

Summit Attendees View Health Care Challenges Through a New Lens–Blog by Carolyn Pare, Action Group President and CEO

Attendees of The Action Group’s 2018 Employer Leadership Summit had an opportunity to explore the role of purpose in creating vibrant, high-performing, healthy organizations. The capacity crowd included a hand-selected assembly of distinguished speakers, panelists and innovators, as well as a full complement of sponsors and exhibitors who eagerly helped attendees understand how to solve… Read More

Surviving and Thriving: Making the Most of the RFP Process-Blog by Deb Krause, Vice President Minnesota Health Action Group

Overwhelming. Time consuming. Never ending. Frustrating. Political. This is how Action Group members described the RFP process at our recent meeting: Surviving and Thriving: Making the Most of the RFP Process. But whether you think of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) as a solid business discipline or a burden, they are a reality for benefits professionals… Read More

The Value of Experimentation in Improving Health Care in America–Blog by Carolyn Pare, Action Group president and CEO

“What is the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?” John Green, best-selling author and one-half of the vlogbrothers* For as many years as I have been working with the Action Group, first as an employer Board member and then as president and CEO, people from around the… Read More

JOIN ME! 2018 Employer Benefits Survey Now Open-Blog by Jon Schloemer, VP of HR Shared Services, Fleet Farm, Action Group Board Member

As a benefits leader in 2018, two things have never been more true. First, there is never enough time. Regardless of where you work, managing benefits is time consuming, complex and technical. Second, everyone wants something from you. Management wants lower costs, employees want better benefits, and vendors want you to buy their newest solution…. Read More

Together Toward Tomorrow! Action Group 2017; 2018–Executive Summary by Carolyn Pare, Action Group President and CEO

“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success.” ~ Henry Ford   Following one of the busiest years in recent memory, Action Group members took a breather during the final meeting of the year to review 2017 accomplishments; preview 2018 plans; and discuss the wrap-up of the 2017 Mental Health Learning Network…. Read More

Mental Health Parity – It’s Time to Fulfill the Promise! Blog by Deb Krause, Minnesota Health Action Group Vice President

Recently, I asked a small group of benefits managers and directors at leading Minnesota organizations (a mix of corporate and public sector) a relatively straightforward question: Is your health plan in compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act? The answer was unanimous: YES! They were quick to answer for two reasons: (1)… Read More

Employee Well-Being: A Business Imperative–By Jean Hanvik

“Learning about what other organizations are doing and how they are implementing their programs was so helpful! Many of us agreed that, while incentives are important, we need to get the focus back on helping employees see the intrinsic and lasting value of making healthy and sustainable lifestyle choices and changes.”                                                                        Action Group member… Read More

Is Health Care Transparency Truly Possible?–Blog by Carolyn Pare, Action Group President and CEO

The Action Group has long subscribed to the idea that it takes ready access to meaningful cost and quality information to build a health care system that pays for quality and outcomes, instead of for more services that do not lead to better health (and may even cause harm). Importantly, we consider transparency from all… Read More

Bountiful Resources In Your Own Backyard: Thoughts on Smart Use of Data–Blog by Diane Stollenwerk, MPP

The Minnesota All Payer Claims Database has data from 1.1 billion claims for care provided to more than 4.3 million people in the state. That’s about 89% of insured people in Minnesota.   For what seems like the 98th day in a row, I picked a sizeable number of tomatoes from my backyard garden…. Read More

Thank You for Sharing Your Perspective–Blog by Deidre Serum, Sr. Director of Benefits, Best Buy

“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” ~Bill Gates Earlier this summer, The Action Group Board of Directors – your Board of Directors – invited members to provide input via a short, electronic survey. The Board wanted to understand why you engage with The Action Group, how you engage,… Read More

We Want to Hear from You–Blog by Deidre Serum, Sr. Director of Benefits, Best Buy

“What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? Answer: feedback. Feedback is essential to success. When you use Best Buy’s Geek Squad, you promptly receive an email requesting your feedback. If you shop at Target, your receipt invites you to take a two-minute survey about your experience. After you… Read More

Summit Adds Momentum to Health Care Affordability Debate–Blog by Carolyn Pare, Action Group President and CEO

What do you get when you gather a diverse lineup of nationally renowned subject-matter experts and innovators, health care industry sponsors with a passion for helping employers respond to the health care cost and quality crisis, and attendees anxiously searching for answers to the affordability conundrum? You get an action-packed Action Group Employer Leadership Summit… Read More

Mental Health First Aid at Work–Special guest blog by Sue Abderholden, Executive Director, NAMI Minnesota

One in five living in the U.S. will face mental illness or substance abuse in their lives, many during the prime of their working years. Whether fearing the perceived negative attitudes of self-identifying a problem, or simply unaware of how to seek help, more than half will suffer in silence, and 40 percent will simply… Read More

DON’T MISS OUT! 2017 Employer Benefits Survey Closes Friday–Blog by Jon Schloemer, VP of HR Shared Services, Fleet Farm, Action Group Board Member

With health care costs continuously on the rise and uncertainty surrounding the new presidential administration, employers are looking for ways to get the most out of their benefit plan designs, while controlling health care spending and improving health outcomes for employees. Understanding what’s working and being able to compare notes, so to speak, with other… Read More

Let’s Take Action on Behalf of Minnesotans–Blog by Ken Horstman, Senior Director of Total Compensation, University of Minnesota, Action Group Chairman of the Board

Given the current climate of uncertainty in the marketplace, it has never been more important for employers from diverse backgrounds and business sectors to use their collective voice to ensure the affordability and accessibility of health care in our communities and workplaces. And, as a member-led coalition, The Action Group offers unique and ready opportunities… Read More

Honoring Last Wishes through Awareness, Education and Action–Blog by Karen Peterson, Executive Director, Honoring Choices Minnesota

Honoring Choices Minnesota exists to ease and enable conversations about Advance Care Planning (ACP). While it’s not an easy topic to consider, it is important for every adult to have a Health Care Directive — a written plan for loved ones and health care providers to follow — so that patients’ wishes are known if… Read More

Looking Back with our Eyes on the Future: 2016 in Review; 2017 Preview–Blog by Carolyn Pare

The Action Group is a member-led organization, and our collective accomplishments reflect the priorities and passions of our members. As the year draws to a close, it is appropriate to celebrate what we achieved in 2016, and look ahead to new opportunities for learning and collaboration in 2017. Here are the highlights!   Top Highlights… Read More

Helping Employees Choose Wisely: Blog by Dominic Lorusso, Director, Health Partnership for Consumer Reports

A disturbingly high incidence of low-value and no-value care is harming patients physically and financially. In fact, the Institute of Medicine issued a report saying that waste accounted for 30 percent of health care spending nationally, or $750 billion per year in 2010. Through Choosing Wisely, an initiative of the ABIM Foundation and Consumer Reports,… Read More

Excellence in Health Care can be a Reality for all Minnesotans: Blog by Carolyn Pare, President and CEO, Minnesota Health Action Group

Everyone deserves top-quality care and the chance for a healthy future. But for some, this is complicated by chronic conditions like diabetes, vascular disease and depression—three top drivers of health care costs. These three chronic conditions have been identified among five diseases that generate approximately 25 percent of health care costs in the United States,… Read More

Babies, Business and the Bottom Line: Guest Blog by Jeanette Wiedemeier Bower, Executive Director, Greater Twin Cities and St. Cloud March of Dimes

Did you know that the societal cost of premature birth tops $26 billion annually? The March of Dimes board of directors in the Greater Twin Cities is sponsoring a breakfast presentation called Babies, Business, and the Bottom Line on Thursday, October 6, 2016, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. to discuss the trend in health… Read More

Getting the 5 Rights Right: Right Drug, Right Price, Right Place, Right Patient Support, Right Data By: Carolyn Pare

The recent price increase on the lifesaving EpiPen — up 400 percent in a decade — outraged patients, parents and lawmakers, igniting a media frenzy and lighting up social media channels. But the CEO of Mylan, the EpiPen manufacturer, deflected blame, pointing the finger at “an outdated health care system that incentivizes higher prices.” What she failed… Read More

Guest Blog by Heidi Meyers, R.N., M.B.A. – Start Somewhere: Fairview is Serious About Advance Care Planning

At Fairview, we understand that having a successful advance care planning (ACP) program system-wide is not a project, but an important program requiring full-time attention. I am very fortunate to have three staff members who serve as ACP liaisons to patients and staff, as well as a system committee, including Fairview, Ebenezer, MHealth, and Fairview… Read More

Guest Blog Post: Maureen Tyra, LICSW, ACP Coordinator – How North Memorial is Promoting Advance Care Planning in Minnesota

While our advance care planning efforts focus primarily on the 65+ audience, we realize we need to move these conversations upstream by encouraging every adult to have a health care directive in place by the time they’re 30. But the struggle continues to revolve around how best to “normalize” these conversations. During preventive care education… Read More

Guest Blog Post: Linda Davis – Reaction to the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing (CSRxP) Policy White Paper

Tired of Hearing about Specialty Drug Prices Yet? Almost every day there is an article in the media criticizing pharmaceutical manufacturers for their high prices. And, just about every stakeholder complains about these rising prices including pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), health plans, physicians, hospitals, legislators, regulators, presidential candidates, and consumer advocates. It seems there are… Read More

Guest Blog Post: Denise Winston – How Improving Health Literacy and Financial Wellness Improves Lives

Most employees are not financial planners, financial experts, or health care specialists. Yet we expect them to make decisions about tens of thousands of dollars each year in the form of health insurance, health savings accounts, 401(k) plans, and other employee benefits – on top of the other six to 10 financial decisions they make… Read More

Blog Post: Opening Conversations About End-of-life Care by Carolyn Pare

Who knew La Crosse, WI, is considered to be the “Best Place to Die in America,” where 96 percent of adults have health care directives in place? Or that 63 percent of Americans die in hospitals and another 17 percent die in institutions such as long-term care facilities, when nearly two-thirds say they would prefer… Read More

Guest Blog Post: How the Midwifery Model Benefits Families and Payers

By: Tricia Balazovic and Dr. Steven Calvin, The Minnesota Birth Center Childbirth is the leading reason for hospitalization in the United States. The cost of having a baby in a hospital varies by nearly $10,000 across the United States. The analysis of 2011 data from 463 hospitals nationwide found the average bill for a maternity… Read More

Guest Blog Post: Sue Abderholden Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota

I attended the 10th anniversary recognition event for Minnesota Bridges to Excellence where clinicians who delivered improved care resulting in better outcomes for patients with diabetes, vascular disease, and depression were honored. Delivering better care to people with these conditions can drive down the costs of health care, benefiting the people themselves and their employers…. Read More

Blog Post: Specialty Pharmacy Pricing: Will the Buck Ever Stop? by Carolyn Pare

“Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them.” – Laurence J. Peter With hundreds of new drugs in the pipeline that will exceed $100,000 per patient, per year, costs for specialty medications are projected to quadruple by 2020. Given the lack of… Read More

Blog Post: Will Specialty Drug Pricing Be The Straw? by Carolyn Pare and Brian Klepper

Over the next few years, drug manufacturers will unleash an unprecedented raft of new drugs into the marketplace. The good news is, there will be better “precision therapy” solutions for common problems, and products for problems that have never before had solutions. The bad news is that the price tags in the U.S. are breathtaking… Read More

Guest Blog: Gretchen Taylor, Minnesota Department of Health, Tackling Diabetes in Minnesota

Diabetes is a serious and costly chronic disease affecting over 310,000 Minnesotans, with an annual cost to our state of about $3.14 billion. Based on national estimates, an additional 1.5 million Minnesota adults have prediabetes, which greatly increases their risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Without intervention, 15 to 30 percent of people… Read More

Guest Blog: Marie Dotseth, Executive Director, Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS)

The title of the lead patient engagement story in the March 2015 issue of Health Affairs caught my attention: “National Hospital Ratings Systems Share Few Common Scores and May Generate Confusion Instead of Clarity.” The authors compared four national hospital rating systems and discovered, for example, that not a single hospital was rated as a… Read More

Blog Post: Health Care Industry Profits Soar While Consumers Sink

While I wasn’t surprised that nearly every headline in a February Modern Healthcare Daily Finance Report heralded that profits are up — and in many cases WAY up — for drug manufacturers, hospitals and insurance companies, it was disheartening. We’re talking about the fact that while people are struggling to afford health care, there are… Read More

Blog Post: Reflecting on 2014; Looking Ahead in 2015 by Carolyn Pare, Minnesota Health Action Group President and CEO

As I began to prepare for the first member meeting of the year, designed to reflect on 2014 accomplishments and imagine 2015 possibilities, I wondered how I could fill 90 minutes. By the time my presentation was completed, I had to do a lot of paring down to fit the allotted time. It was a… Read More

Guest Blog: Jerry Noyce, HERO

Culture. It’s the word of the year, according to the folks at Merriam Webster. But in employee health management, culture has been the name of the game for many years. HERO, the Health Enhancement Research Organization, is a non-profit committed to promoting a culture of health and performance through employer leadership and evidence-based health management…. Read More

Blog Post: Health Care Cost and Quality Information Remains Elusive by Carolyn Pare, Minnesota Health Action Group President and CEO

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) did some secret shopping here in Minnesota and found that it is a considerable challenge for consumers to get vital health care cost and quality information. The GAO chose Minnesota because of our national reputation for being ahead of the health care curve, transparency included. We have laws that… Read More

Guest Blog: Diabetes: Addressing Prevalence, Promoting Prevention by Deepak Patel, Pharm.D., Novo Nordisk, Medical Liaison – Managed Markets

Recent CDC data suggest that a staggering 40 percent of Americans are expected to develop type 2 diabetes during adulthood. Estimates are even higher for certain minority groups, at 50% for black women and for Hispanic men and women. One of the gratifying parts of my job is raising awareness about the prevalence of diabetes and… Read More

Blog Post: ACOs: Risks and Rewards Still Unclear by Carolyn Pare, Minnesota Health Action Group President and CEO

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) promise better alignment of health care provider incentives and patient outcomes. But can they revolutionize employer-sponsored health care? Two-thirds of employers either have or are contemplating ACOs to deliver cost savings, quality improvement, and satisfied patients, according to the 2014 Minnesota Health Action Group Employer Survey. Wanting to learn more about… Read More

Guest Blog: Bringing Choosing Wisely® to Life by Jean Hanvik

I am a huge fan of the Choosing Wisely campaign, although it is deceptively simple in concept: Providers do no harm; consumers be aware. As a health care and benefits communications professional with over two decades of experience and a passion for improving health literacy, what impresses me most about Choosing Wisely is how it… Read More

Blog Post: Spousal Surcharges: A Symptom of a Growing Crisis by Carolyn Pare, CEO, Minnesota Health Action Group

One of the thought-provoking findings from our Exclusive Annual Minnesota Employer Benchmarking Survey was that, despite the weighty administrative and enforcement challenges associated with spousal surcharges, many companies either have or are considering implementing them as a cost-saving measure. The critical levers for containing cost in employer-sponsored benefit programs have always been, and unfortunately continue to be,… Read More

Guest Blog: Making Progress in Improving Outcomes for Patients with Depression by Kris Soegaard, Chief Operating Officer, Minnesota Health Action Group

Depression is a chronic illness just like diabetes and heart disease. We can’t see it on an X-ray or in a glucose test, but it is every bit as treatable as other health conditions. The reality is, however, that there is more hesitancy to discuss depression as openly as other illnesses. Because May is National… Read More

Guest Blog: May is Mental Health Month by Sue Abderholden, Executive Director, NAMI Minnesota

As we finally emerge from the cold dark winter our thoughts turn to spring — and green. Not the green from our grass or the leaves on the trees, but to mental health. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and green is the color being used to symbolize awareness. Mental health is a continuum, from… Read More

Guest Blog: What you don’t know can hurt you: Has media coverage of health care increased consumer understanding? by Barbara Tabor

Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss. But when it comes to health care, a lack of knowledge or misinformation can be detrimental to your physical and financial health. But here’s the rub: When it comes to understanding health care, most people don’t pay attention until they need to. For instance, think about the last time you… Read More

Guest Blog: Marie Dotseth, Executive Director, Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety (MAPS)

Everyone plays a role in improving health and lowering costs, especially during one of the most potentially harmful legs of the health care journey: Care transitions, when patients move from one care setting to another. Following extensive market research and testing, MAPS is now piloting “You: Your Own Best  Medicine,” a consumer-facing initiative that equips… Read More

Guest Blog Post: Changing Health Along with Health Care by Gretchen Musicant, Commissioner, Minneapolis Health Department

Health care reform, implementation of the Affordable Care Act and concepts like Accountable Care Organizations are on our minds and in the news. The familiar Triple Aim of all this change is: Improving the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction). Improving the health of populations. Reducing the per capita cost of health care…. Read More

Blog Post: The time is right for employers to create a path to better value in health care by Cheryl DeMars, President and CEO of The Alliance

It was an honor to present at The Action Group’s Community Dialogue on Joint Replacements for Hips and Knees on March 28, 2014, and to share and compare best practices in this area where the number of procedures performed is rapidly accelerating. As the keynote speaker, my role was to discuss the importance of improving… Read More

Blog Post: Would You Like to Super-size that MRI? by Jean Hanvik

I recently found myself at a Meetup group that featured a panel of Minnesota’s highest ranking health care influencers from state and city government, alongside a number of health care IT entrepreneurs. With American Public Media’s economics editor, Chris Farrell, as the moderator, the idea was to engage in a discussion about how local government… Read More

Blog Post: The Power of Sharing Ideas, Great and Small: The Annual Employer Benefits Survey Opens a Gateway to Better Understanding

As the pace of change accelerates in our time-starved society, and each of us faces increasing complexities and responsibilities in our work, networking and sharing best practices often falls by the wayside. A great story that emerged from the Feb. 21 Summit, however, tells me how hungry many of us are to reconnect and stretch… Read More

The High Cost of Low Health Literacy by Carolyn Pare

Just 12 percent of adults have “proficient health literacy,” according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy. In other words, nearly 9 out of 10 adults — or over 91 million Americans — may lack the skills needed to manage their health and prevent disease. About 14 percent of adults (30 million people) have “Below… Read More

The Value of the Maternity Care Learning Network: Better Health, Better Care, Better Costs by Linda Davis

The Action Group has focused on overuse through many of its initiatives over the last year. It is collaborating with ICSI on the Choosing Wisely® campaign in MN and completed a Learning Network initiative, open to all Action Group members, on back pain and surgery in June of 2013. In July we moved on to… Read More

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I may remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Confucian Philosopher, Xunzi

Carolyn Pare Minnesota Health Action Group President and CEO There are many ways to become involved in game-changing initiatives at The Action Group. As a member-led coalition, rather than an association, it provides the perfect opportunity for like-minded employers to join forces and roll up their sleeves to improve health care and ensure the economic… Read More

Leading with The Action Group in 2014 by Carolyn Pare

We had such a great member meeting on December 17, I wanted to follow up with a brief summary and a copy of the presentation and resource links for those of you who were not able to attend. Members and staff gathered to review the highlights and accomplishments of 2013, and to imagine the possibilities… Read More

Measuring Health Care Quality is Confusing by Carolyn Pare

My last blog was spurred by the release of the Leapfrog Group’s fall update to Hospital Safety Scores. Whenever new data is released, it is inevitably dissected and debated, mostly by health care industry insiders who have all hitched their wagon to one quality measurement organization or another. At The Action Group, we make the various… Read More

Addressing the Crisis of Hospital Errors in the U.S.

“We are burying a population the size of Miami every year from medical errors that can be prevented.” With the divisive and disruptive roll out of healthcare.gov, The Leapfrog Group’s fall update to Hospital Safety Scores has been relegated to back-page news. Do your employees know that as many as 100,000 Americans are dying annually… Read More