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Health Plan Performance Improvement Projects (PIPs)

Resources for care coordinators and providers

Minnesota health plans that offer publicly subsidized health care programs implement at least one performance improvement project (PIP) each year to help improve the health of public program members and to reduce disparities for low-income Minnesotans. The projects cover a wide range of health topics identified as priorities for improvement, including preventive care, chronic illnesses management, and transitions in care. Each project typically runs two to four years and helps meet Minnesota Department of Human Services requirements for serving as a public program.

Stratis Health provides facilitation and consultation to the health plans in developing, implementing, and evaluating each of the improvement initiatives. Stratis Health serves as a neutral party to combine and analyze aggregate data from health plans and members to evaluate PIP implementation processes and project impact.

The health plans in Minnesota have a long history of collaboration that supports health care improvement for low-income members. The original three Minnesota Senior Health Options demonstration plans—Medica, Metropolitan Health Plan and UCare—have collaborated since 2000 on joint performance improvement projects. Since 2006, all eight of the health plans offering public program products have worked together to develop and implement (PIPs). Past projects include efforts around heart failure, diabetes, depression, pneumococcal vaccination, and optimal medication management.

To be successful in improving care for members, health plans engage member-care coordinators and providers as appropriate to the PIP to help ensure that members receive preventive services and support in managing chronic conditions. Resources such as recorded Webinar educational sessions, member education materials, and toolkits are available through the links in the table below.

Collaborative Performance Improvement Projects

Implementation Timeline* Topic Populations** Plans
2013 – 2015 Chlamydia screening in women PMAP, MNCare Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, UCare
2012 – 2015 Reducing Non-urgent Emergency Department Use PMAP, MNCare Blue Plus, HealthPartners, Medica, UCare
2012 – 2015 Spirometry Testing for COPD MSHO/MSC+, SNBC Blue Plus, HealthPartners, Medica
2011 – 2013 Colorectal cancer screening PMAP, MNCare Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, MHP, UCare
2011 – 2013 Transitions of care: improved post-discharge follow-up care MSHO/MSC+, SNBC Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, MHP
2010 – 2012 Blood pressure control for members with diabetes MSHO/MSC+, PMAP, MNCare, SNBC Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, MHP, UCare, IMCare, SouthCountry Health Alliance, PrimeWest
2009 – 2011

New member utilization of preventive care*** MSHO/MSC+, PMAP, MNCare, SNBC HealthPartners Medica, MHP, UCare, IMCare, SouthCountry Health Alliance, PrimeWest
2008 – 2010 Aspirin therapy for members with ischemic heart disease and diabetes MSHO MSC+ Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, MHP, UCare, IMCare, SouthCountry Health Alliance, PrimeWest
2008 – 2010 Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination PMAP, MNCare Blue Plus, Health Partners, Medica, MHP, UCare, IMCare, SouthCountry Health Alliance, PrimeWest
* End date of implementation is estimated. If projects do not meet goals implementation periods may be extended
** Minnesota Senior Care Plus (MSC+), Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO), Minnesota Care (MNCare), Prepaid Medical Assistance Program (PMAP), Special Needs Basic Care (SNBC)
*** For implementation in 2009, Blue Plus developed an individual PIP focusing on asthma and preventing ED visits, and Health Partners implemented an effort focusing on health risk assessment utilization for their Medicaid members.

 

Map of health plan service areas by county. Minnesota Department of Human Services.

PIP News

PIP News is an annual newsletter for care coordinators and other stakeholders interested in the health plans quality improvement projects.

Contact information

For more information on how your organization and Stratis Health can work together, please contact Karla Weng, program manager, 952-853-8570.