The Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic has built a towering reputation by providing excellent care — and charging accordingly. But the transformation of the health-care industry has posed a daunting challenge fore even this elite medical institution. To continue to thrive, Mayo must adapt, either by bringing costs down or demonstrating that its services are worth a premium. Its ability to navigate that challenge has significant big implications for the state of Minnesota, where Mayo is a top employer and has enlisted taxpayers in a $327 million effort to reinforce the state’s position as a global medical destination. The Star Tribune deployed three reporters to examine what Mayo is doing to defend and enhance its competitive position. A data analysis by the newspaper underscored the challenge by showing that Mayo’s prices are high. But as our series explains, Mayo is developing a multi-faceted business model that centers on its reputation for excellence. A new network of affiliated medical institutions around the country will draw on Mayo’s expertise, at a much lower cost that bringing patients to Minnesota. Data from this network, and elsewhere, will give Mayo an edge in studying the best, most cost effective approaches to care. Mayo’s main campus in Rochester, Minn., will continue to handle complex cases that others can’t resolve. The future course of health care is of course impossible to predict. But by exploring the steps Mayo is taking to position itself for continued success, the Star Tribune provided readers with valuable insight into an institution of critical importance in Minnesota.
