New Report Reveals Performance on Health Care Quality Measures Declined in 2020

August 5, 2021

Analysis sheds light on key strategies needed to address COVID-19 impact on preventive and chronic care.

Minneapolis, MN (August 5, 2021) – A new report from MN Community Measurement (MNCM) documents how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the quality of care for other health conditions in 2020. The report is believed to be the first comprehensive source of information available to show how key metrics of health care quality and outcomes changed in 2020 compared to 2019. A series of issue briefs accompanying the summary report provides a deeper analysis of individual quality measures, including changes in the number of patients and outcomes by demographic characteristics such as age, race/ethnicity, geography, and socioeconomic characteristics in the communities where patients live.

Performance on key measures for chronic disease management and preventive care declined statewide in 2020. In addition, the number of patients included in most quality measures declined, which was likely a result of pandemic-related barriers affecting both patients and health care providers. For example, many patients chose to defer care due to safety concerns or barriers to accessing care via telehealth; on the provider side, factors like staff furloughs and reduced capacity during portions of the year contributed to the reduced availability of some services.

“We were not surprised to see declines in performance on quality measures and declines in the number of patients who received care in 2020,” said Julie Sonier, president and CEO of MNCM. “Nonetheless, the results are concerning because in many cases this means that health care providers are missing information that is normally used to manage patients’ health conditions to get the best long-term outcomes. As the health care system returns to more normal operations, concerted efforts will be needed to close these gaps.”

Key Findings

The report highlights three key findings from the analysis:

  • There were large declines in the number of children included in quality measures for asthma and adolescent mental health screenings. Among those who did receive care and thus are included in the quality measures, results were more stable between 2019 and 2020 than they were for adults.
  • The share of adults who were up to date on colon cancer screenings declined, as did the shares of adults whose diabetes, vascular disease, or asthma were optimally controlled. In many cases, declines in these quality measures were driven by the lack of lab tests, blood pressure readings, and patient questionnaires that are typically part of a health care visit.
  • Monitoring of patients who have been diagnosed with depression is an issue that warrants particular focus, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on mental health. For both adults and adolescents previously diagnosed with depression, the data showed a substantial decline in the percentage who had their condition reassessed during a subsequent visit. While it is likely that difficulties in collecting this information for telehealth visits were a contributing factor, this issue calls for continued attention to ensure that expectations for care quality and patient outcomes are similar for care delivered via telehealth compared to in-person visits.

“More than half of Minnesota adults have a chronic condition that could put them at greater risk for severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19,” said Minnesota Department of Health Assistant Commissioner Mary Manning. “The consequences of delayed care and undiagnosed chronic conditions may result in increased deaths and disability in the coming years. We need to track new forms of care that emerged during the pandemic, like telehealth, and their effectiveness in delivering high-quality care. Removing barriers to care and working with local partners to reach communities already experiencing health disparities are crucial to limiting further consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The scope of the data used in this analysis includes all patients that meet eligibility criteria for inclusion in a measure and nearly all health care providers in Minnesota. The data collected also includes information on patients’ race, ethnicity, language, and country of origin to better understand health disparities and to support the development of initiatives to improve health equity.

MN Community Measurement is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering health care decision-makers with meaningful data to drive improvement. A trusted source of health care data since 2005, MNCM works with doctors, hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and state agencies to collect, analyze, and report health care data related to quality, cost, and health equity.


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October 20, 2026
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — October 20, 2026 — MN Community Measurement (MNCM) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Koble-MN's health information exchange (HIE) business line and the MNSHINE brand from The Koble Group. On November 1, MNCM will officially change its legal name to Minnesota Statewide Health Information Network and Exchange, known as MNSHINE. The transition follows a special joint meeting of MNCM's Board of Directors and members on October 12, at which the Board unanimously approved resolutions authorizing the acquisition, changing the organization's legal name, and establishing a new HIE Advisory Committee. Members unanimously adopted the name change and related amendments to the organization's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. An intentional decision to collaborate The transition is the result of an intentional decision by Minnesota health care leaders to collaborate on a health data landscape that makes sense: one that reduces redundancy, increases efficiency, and delivers needed information to those with legal authorization to receive it, where and when it is needed, without unnecessary administrative barriers. "This is not simply a merger of services. It is a deliberate choice to build the kind of health data infrastructure Minnesota deserves," said Liz Cinqueonce, President and CEO of MNCM. "For too long, organizations across our state have had to navigate duplicative systems and disconnected data. By bringing measurement and exchange together, we can reduce that burden and make sure the right information reaches the right people at the right time, with patient privacy protections firmly in place, so they can focus on improving care." The effort builds on months of work by the Executive Leadership Council, convened earlier this year by MNCM, the Minnesota Electronic Health Records Consortium, and Koble to explore how a sustainable, statewide health data utility could serve the public interest. "Minnesota is at its best when we take on difficult challenges together and align on solutions," said Mark Steffen, MD, Chair of the MNCM Board of Directors. "The Board's unanimous support reflects a shared conviction that our future depends on organizations keeping their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. That balance is what enables greater coordination, transparency, efficiency, and impact." A trusted backbone for Minnesota's health data Minnesota's future health data ecosystem is one in which organizations retain their unique strengths and missions while participating in shared infrastructure and governance. The vision for MNSHINE is to become the health data utility, governed in the public interest with strong privacy protections and transparency, that serves as the trusted backbone connecting these efforts, ensuring data can be used more effectively to improve health, wellbeing, and outcomes for all Minnesotans. By bringing the measurement of health care quality, cost, and utilization together with the infrastructure that moves clinical data between organizations, MNSHINE will be positioned to support providers, payers, public health, researchers, policymakers, and communities alike, each within the limits of applicable law and participant agreements. The goal is healthier people, stronger communities, greater equity, better public decisions, smarter investments, and a health system that learns continuously. Continuity for HIE participants HIE services will continue without interruption. To ensure continuity of leadership and relationships, Chad Peterson, CEO of The Koble Group, has joined MNCM as Senior Vice President of HIE Services. “For HIE participants, this transition opens new possibilities,” said Peterson. “When exchange and measurement are guided by one mission, we can reduce duplication for providers and better support care coordination, while holding firm to the privacy protections patients expect. I’m proud to help lead that work, and I’m committed to making sure every participant feels supported as we grow.” MNCM has also established the HIE Advisory Committee as a standing committee of its Board of Directors. The committee continues the work of the Koble-MN Advisory Committee and will advise the Board on interoperability, participant relationships, privacy, security, data governance, and health equity. Jennifer Lamprecht of Sanford Health and Dr. Justine Mrosak of Hennepin Healthcare have been appointed to co-chair the committee, which will include consumer representatives alongside members representing a cross-section of Minnesota's health care community. Protecting patient privacy This transition changes who operates Minnesota's health information exchange. It does not change how patient information is protected or who may access it. MNSHINE will continue to operate in compliance with HIPAA and the Minnesota Health Records Act, which is among the strongest patient-consent laws in the nation, and in compliance with the participant agreements that govern how information is exchanged. Health information exchange and measurement will each remain governed by their own legal and contractual requirements, and bringing them into one organization does not change the purposes for which patient information may be used.
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