Connecticut continues to be lauded for its healthcare strengths.
A report released Wednesday by the Commonwealth Fund, a healthcare foundation and think tank, ranked Connecticut fifth in the nation for state health system performance among all 50 states and the District of Columbia.Â
That was up from ninth place in the 2018 ranking.
The annual assessment assesses metrics such as access to care, cost, outcomes, and income-based disparities.
The high honors come weeks after the United Health Foundation ranked Connecticut third in terms of the health of its senior population based on policy, obesity, medical visits and other measurements.
In Wednesday’s report, the Commonwealth Fund said Connecticut improved in 18 of 45 healthcare categories it assesses. The state worsened in six areas and had little or no change in the remaining 21.
Connecticut scored well in corporate wellness activity (No. 1), access and affordability (No. 6) and prevention and treatment (No. 9), while it fell in the categories of disparity (No. 22) and avoidable hospital use and cost (No. 27).
While Connecticut ranked high, there were some dim spots. The report said the state’s number of drug poisoning deaths worsened and were among the lower-ranked states. Hospital 30-day readmission rates and preventable hospitalizations among adults also worsened.
In New England, Connecticut was only surpassed by Massachusetts, which was second in the overall ranking. Hawaii ranked first.
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Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi were the lowest performing states, respectively, according to the report.
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