MANKATO — Young patients in Mankato’s region receive asthma control services and mental health screenings at below average rates, according to a new report.
MN Community Measurement’s latest health care performance report, released in late February, compared various metrics in zip-code regions against statewide averages. Mankato was the major city among zip codes starting with 560 in the analysis.
Less than half of children or adolescent patients in Mankato’s zip-code region, 49.7%, received optimal asthma control in 2023, compared to 53.9% statewide. Adolescent mental health screening rates were at 92.4% as opposed to 93.4% statewide.
Rochester, St. Cloud and Duluth all had high rates in each metric. The lowest rates in each were in Thief River Falls.
In its release on the report, MNCM noted “significant gaps remain in asthma control and depression care, with thousands of patients needing improved care to meet statewide benchmarks.”
Along with health care quality metrics, the report highlighted health care disparities by race, language and country of origin, as well as rising costs of care. The patients with the most disparities across measures were Black, Indigenous and Hispanic. Patients speaking Somali were found to have lower rates of preventive care and chronic disease management.
Costs, meanwhile, rose by 8.4%, driven in part by a spike in pharmacy prices. All categories of medical services rose in price apart from inpatient admissions, according to the report.
Including outcomes, equity and costs in the report can help change how people understand health care in Minnesota, said Liz Cinqueonce, president and CEO of MN Community Measurement, in the release.
“It’s no longer just about what the system does, but about how the collective efforts across communities contribute to the well-being of all,” she said. “Our goal is to create a clearer pathway for everyone — health plans, providers, employers, policy makers, government agencies, and community organizations — to work together toward reducing disparities and improving care and value for everyone.”
Mankato’s region fared better in adult health care metrics, finishing above average in colorectal cancer screenings and depression remission after six months. It was average in optimal diabetes care but below average in optimal asthma control and optimal vascular care.
To view the report, go to mncm.org.