Quality and Innovations

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Quality

UMPhysicians delivers high-quality care, which we assess by external and internal measures. We center our quality improvement efforts on the six aims defined by the Institute of Medicine: timely, efficient, effective, patient centered, equitable and safe.

Satisfying the needs of patients and physicians
Providing excellent service to patients and physicians is a priority for University of Minnesota Physicians. We ask for feedback on a regular basis so that we can make improvements.

Patients
Satisfaction among patients has grown since UMPhysicians began managing the ambulatory clinics at the University of Minnesota in 2003. In 2009, 80% of patients surveyed strongly agreed with the statement, “I would recommend this clinic to my friends.” This compared to only 53% of patients who agreed with the statement in 2003.

Feedback from patients has led us to create a number of improvements, including:

• Standardized scheduling to help patients access the services of our specialists.
• A single point of contact for follow up, visit planning and questions.
• Longer call center hours and the ability to request an appointment online.

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University of Minnesota medical innovations save lives, improve health

Through pioneer research by physicians and researchers, the University of Minnesota claims many impressive medical innovations. These “firsts’ have saved lives and improved the health of patients around the world.

2010

• 700th heart transplant performed at University of Minnesota
• Faculty members attack diabetes with research on stem cells and pig islet cells that aims to create an abundant supply of cells for transplantation
• Neuroscientists, psychiatrists and human development experts use high-tech imaging and molecular-level insights to seek novel ways to reduce the toll of neurodegenerative diseases, prevent and cure mental health disorders, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease

2008

• Implantation of the first Berlin left ventricular assist device (which helps the heart pump blood to the body) in a child in Minnesota

2007

• Creation of the first beating heart in a laboratory using whole organ recellularization (rebuilding heart muscle and blood vessels in an animal model)
• World’s first bone marrow and cord blood transplant to treat recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a condition causing serious blistering and damage to the skin

2006

• Discovery of molecule that has been shown to cause memory loss

2005

• Discovery of ability to reverse memory loss in mice with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms

2004

• 6,000th kidney transplant performed at University of Minnesota

2002

• First transplant of mesenchymal stem cell (made from living human tissue)/cord blood in a child with acute myeloid leukemia

2001

• Discovery of a gene that causes the most common form of adult muscular dystrophy

2000

• Midwest’s first successful living donor double-lung transplant performed
• World’s first blood and marrow transplant using genetic testing on an embryo to find a suitable cord blood donor

1996

• Development of the first genetically engineered mouse model showing Alzheimer’s disease symptoms

1990

• Minnesota’s first cochlear implant surgery for a child

1988

• Vaccine for Lyme disease developed and patented

1975

• First implantable diabetes drug pump developed, freeing patients from daily injections

1974

• First islet cell transplant to treat diabetes

1968

• First successful human bone marrow transplant in the world performed

1966-67

• A number of the world’s first successful organ transplants, including pancreas, intestines and simultaneous kidney/pancreas

1958

• World’s first artificial heart valve implant performed

1955

• First successful heart-lung machine developed to keep patients alive during heart surgery

1954

• First successful open-heart surgery using hypothermia and cross-circulation

1952

• First successful open-heart surgery