Pulse
Briefs
Not Above Average
Garrison Keillor may have convinced the world that all the children in the fictitious town of Lake Wobegon are “above average.” But when it comes to the health of all the children in Minnesota, it’s not the case. In a report issued by the Commonwealth Fund last year, Minnesota ranked 23rd out of 50 states in terms of the health care children receive.
The New York-based foundation evaluated states on 13 measures including the percentage of low-income children who were uninsured, the extent to which all children were current on their vaccines, the percentage of kids who received preventive medical and dental care, whether children had a medical home, overall spending on health care, infant mortality rates, risk for developmental delays, and the cost of health insurance.
Minnesota fared best in terms of infant mortality (fifth overall), the percentage of children who received vaccinations at the recommended time (sixth), and hospital admissions for asthma (eighth). The state ranked lowest for the percentage of children who had a medical home (32nd), the percentage who received preventive medical and dental care (35th), and health care spending per capita (38th).
To learn how to improve its standing, Minnesota health officials might look to Iowa, which was ranked No. 1.
Sensitive Conversations
Talking about the topics that make many adults squirm makes teens feel cared for. That’s the take-home message from a new study in which 358 young people ages 11 to 16 years were surveyed after a visit to their primary care provider. The preteens and teens were asked whether that visit included discussions about mood, behavior, getting along with others, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, sexuality, birth control, parent mood, or family problems. Then, they were asked how they felt about their provider.
Researchers found that if providers broached sensitive health topics, their young patients were more likely to report that their provider understood their problems, eased their worries, allowed them to make decisions about treatment, gave them control over treatment, or asked them to take responsibility for treatment. The findings were published in the January issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.
MIIC Still Wants You
As clinics scramble to implement electronic health records, the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) is quietly approaching its seventh birthday. The MIIC is an electronic registry run by the Minnesota Department of Health that enables health care providers to store and retrieve immunization records of their patients—that is, if physicians and others who vaccinate kids use the system. It also updates providers on changes to guidelines and protocols.
Emily Peterson-Stauffer, MIIC director and project manager, says about 85 percent of the state’s primary care providers are enrolled in the system, and about 78 percent of those actively use it. The state has a goal of 95 percent participation by 2010.
Peterson-Stauffer encourages physicians who haven’t yet enrolled in the registry or who haven’t logged in recently to check out the MIIC’s new features. For example, it can create reports for a clinic on the vaccine status of patients 3 years of age and younger. It can even generate letters that can be sent to parents reminding them that their child is due for immunizations. She urges physicians to keep the MIIC in mind as they make decisions about purchasing or implementing an EHR to ensure that it integrates well with the MIIC.
To learn more about the MIIC, contact your regional coordinator (a list is available at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/immunize/registry/hp/map.html).—Carmen Peota