Minnesotans tend to think they’re “above average” in just about every way, including their health care.

However, data provided by medical groups throughout Minnesota and bordering communities show the care available to Minnesotans can vary depending on location.

“The quality of health care in Minnesota can be measured, and it’s not the same everywhere you go,” said Jim Chase, executive director of MN Community Measurement, a St. Paul-based nonprofit that works to improve health care quality.

Differences in quality from one medical group to another are common and often dramatic.

MN Community Measurement uses data from insurance claims and medical records to track these differences and report them to the public on its Web Site, www.mnhealthcare.org [1].

In November, the nonprofit posted quality results for health care delivered by 128 medical groups during 2006. Included are nearly all of the health systems that serve Minnesotans, as well as several medical groups in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Wisconsin.

Web site visitors can search for the quality scores of medical groups in their area. Visitors also can learn which tests and treatments are considered by local and national experts to be “best quality” for illnesses like diabetes and asthma, as well as for preventive care like cancer screenings and childhood immunizations.