Dr. Joe Bianco Welcomes Guests to MNCM’s 2024 Annual Conference and Shares Strategic Vision for the Year Ahead

September 25, 2024

On September 25, 2024, Dr. Joe Bianco, Chair of the Board of Minnesota Community Measurement (MNCM), kicked off the organization’s Annual Conference in Brooklyn Park, MN. In his opening remarks, Dr. Bianco reflected on the vital work of healthcare professionals and shared key highlights of MNCM’s strategic initiatives for the coming year.

Dr. Bianco began by recounting a conversation with a friend who is an interventional cardiologist. When asked what her best day as a physician looked like, she described saving a patient from a life-threatening heart attack (ST-elevated myocardial infarction, or STEMI) through coordinated teamwork and expert intervention. “No doubt,” he noted, “that would be a good day—good for the patient and good for the cardiology team.”

For Dr. Bianco, however, his best days come from the steady, long-term management of chronic conditions—seeing a patient’s A1C reach a healthy level after months of hard work, or achieving blood pressure and cholesterol goals through careful medication management. He emphasized that these outcomes can prevent patients from needing critical interventions like the ones his cardiologist friend performs.

Dr. Bianco reflected on The Heroism of Incremental Care , an article by Atul Gawande, which draws a distinction between the life-saving work of rescue care and the slower, ongoing effort of chronic disease management. “Continuity is fundamental to this care,” Dr. Bianco said, sharing his personal experience of over 30 years in Ely, Minnesota. He highlighted the importance of measurement, which enables healthcare professionals to track a patient’s progress and assess larger interventions by clinics and health systems. “Knowing what works and what doesn’t relies on being able to measure what matters,” he added. For 20 years, MNCM has been a key partner in this work, providing essential data and tools that allow clinicians to improve patient outcomes.

Looking ahead, Dr. Bianco outlined the strategic initiatives approved by MNCM’s board of directors for the coming years. Central to these initiatives is enhancing partnerships by listening to and understanding the perspectives of stakeholders, including health plans, medical groups, state government, employers, community organizations, and patients. MNCM will continue advancing measure alignment, ensuring that metrics are meaningful, and making reporting more actionable and user-friendly. The organization will also strive to align with national standards and lead initiatives for improved data sharing. In addition, MNCM seeks to collaborate more on a regional level, pursuing new opportunities for partnership.

Dr. Bianco concluded by expressing his gratitude to the many participants at the conference, noting that there are important conversations yet to come. He thanked everyone for their participation and looked forward to continued collaboration in the years ahead. As MNCM charts a path forward, its focus on measurement, partnership, and meaningful improvement will continue to drive efforts to enhance healthcare quality across Minnesota.

Posted in Blog