>> ERIC: MINNESOTANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM CARDIOVASCULAR RELATED ILLNESSES THAN THEY WERE JUST A DECADE AGO.

AND FOR BLACK AND NATIVE AMERICAN MINNESOTANS, THE DEATH RATE IS DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE AND HITS YOUNGER AGE GROUPS.

THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS CREATED A PLAN TO ADDRESS THESE INEQUITIES.

HERE WITH MORE, SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CLOSELY.

AVA KIAN COVERS ISSUES OF RACE AND HEALTH EQUITY FOR THE ONLINE NEWS PUBLICATION MINNPOST.COM.

WELCOME TO "ALMANAC."

>> THANK YOU.

>> Eric: SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS ARE THE SAME FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ALL KINDS OF GAPS, INEQUITABLE RESULTS BETWEEN MINORITIES AND THE WHITE POPULATION.

>> RIGHT, YEAH, WHEN THINKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE, SO MUCH OF IT IS OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL CLINICAL SETTING AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT -- AND THIS PLAN, THE CREATORS OF THE PLAN WERE VERY AWARE OF AND WANTED JUST HOSPITALS TO KNOW THAT SO MUCH OF IT IS NOT ACTUALLY IN THAT CLINIC SETTING.

>> Cathy: WOW.

LIKE 80% OF HEALTH OUTCOMES OCCUR OUTSIDE THE CLINIC OFFICE.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT?

YEAH, SO A LOT OF IT COMES TO HAVING STAFF WHO CAN GO OUT TO SOMEONE'S HOUSE, RIGHT?

SOME OF THE FACTORS FAMILIES CAN'T CHANGE, RIGHT, WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED, YOU KNOW, JUST GENETIC DISPOSITION, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, THE PLAN WANTS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO SEEK OUT CARE.

>> Eric: HOW DO THEY DO THAT?

>> BY BRINGING THE PEOPLE TO THEM, THAT'S ONE OPTION.

SO THIS PLAN LAYS OUT TEN DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES.

ONE OF THEM THEY HIGHLIGHTED A PLAN CALLED HEALTHFULLERS, A CLINIC WITH LOOKS IN OWATONNA, NORTHFIELD, AND THEY'VE HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS WITH CLINICAL HEALTH WORKERS THAT GO INTO COMMUNITIES.

THEY'VE ACTUALLY SEEN 15% INCREASE IN THEIR DIABETES PATIENTS IN THEIR ROLL, SO MORE PATIENTS ARE HAVING CONTROL OVER THEIR DIABETES WITHIN THREE YEARS.

>> Cathy: ALMOST LIKE A VISITING NURSE PROGRAM?

>> YEAH, SO THEY'LL COME IN, THEY'LL TRY AND CHECK THEIR MEASURES AND DO EVERYTHING INSIDE OF THE HOUSE AND THEY'VE SEEN IT WORK SO FAR.

>> Cathy: DO THEY KNOW, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS ERA OF WEARABLE DEVICES, YOU KNOW, APPLE WATCHES AND THAT KIND OF THING, AND IS THAT ALSO COULD THAT BE A HELP IN DOING SOME OF THIS, TOO, AND MAYBE IND OF LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD IN A SENSE?

>> YEAH, IT COULD CREATE MORE ACCESS, RIGHT, BUT THEN YOU GET DOWN TO WHO CAN AFFORD THAT AND WHO HAS THE TIME, RIGHT, TO USE THOSE DEVICES.

>> Eric: THE PLAN ENVISIONS WHAT KIND OF MOBILIZATION ANY MEAN, WHO PAYS FOR IT, HOW WIDESPREAD IS IT?

GIVE US SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.

>> YEAH, SO THE STATE CONSULTED AROUND 100 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN CREATING THE PLAN FROM DIFFERENT HOSPITALS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND, REALLY, THEY WANTED TO CREATE A WAY FOR THEM TO PUT IN INPUT, RIGHT?

SO THE GOAL WOULD BE FOR DIFFERENT HOSPITALS TO THEN LOOK AT THIS PLAN AND SAY BASED OFF OUR COMMUNITY, HERE IS A NEED WE HAVE.

THIS IS HOW THE PLAN RECOMMENDED ONE PLACE DID IT.

IT GIVES THE OUTLINE OF WHAT OTHER PLACES HAVE DONE SO THERE IS A REFERENCE PATH FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.

>> Cathy: HOW WILL THEY MEASURE SUCCESS?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

HOW CAN WE TOLD THE STATE ACCOUNTABLE TO THESE OUTCOMES?

ONE WAY THEY WANT TO DO THAT IS JUST BY CONTINUING TO MEASURE THOSE OUTCOMING, RIGHT?

SO EACH INDIVIDUAL CLINIC IS GOING TO BE MEASURING THOSE OUTCOMES, WHETHER IT'S DIABETES CONTROL OR IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT MEASURES.

>> Cathy: DISEASE OR -- >> HEART DISEASE, YEAH, HOSPITALIZATION RATES, THAT'S SOMETHING THE STATE IS REALLY CLOSELY TRACKING.

>> Cathy: AND REHOSPITALIZATION RATES I'M SURE, TOO, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> Cathy: SO WHO PAYS FOR THIS?

WHERE IS THIS MONEY COMING FROM?

>> SO THE PLAN IS MORE SO JUST AN IDEA, RIGHT?

IT'S CREATING AN OUTLINE FOR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO THEN UTILIZE.

THE FUNDING PART, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING STRAIGHT INTO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.

>> Eric: MINNPOTS.COM AND YOU EVER STORIES ON THIS ONLINE?

>> YEAH, ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND OTHER RACE AND EQUITY ISSUES.

>> Eric: