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| Magic Valley Reg Medical Ctr |
| Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center Ranks #1 in Idaho for Cardiac and Orthopaedic Services |
| Date : - 14/10/2008 |
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Updated: 10/14/2008 9:28:11 AM MOUNTAIN
For more information, contact Kristen Michelletti.
krismich@sarmc.org
Findings are based on HealthGrades’ 11th Annual Hospital Quality in America Study
Boise, ID (October 14, 2008) – Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center today announced that it is ranked #1 in the state for Overall Orthopedic Services, Joint Replacement Surgery, Cardiac and Cardiology Services, according to HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings company.
Other notable 2009 accolades include:
· Recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ – Three Years in a Row (2007-2009)
· Only Hospital in Idaho to be Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Joint Replacement Surgery - 2009
· 5-Star Rated for Joint Replacement Surgery and Total Knee Replacement – Three Years in a Row (2007-2009)
· 5-Star Rated for Total Hip Replacement – Six Years in a Row (2004-2009)
· 5-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Attack - 2009
“Being named as a top hospital for orthopaedic and cardiac care in one of the largest healthcare studies in America validates the hard work of our staff and physicians," said Janelle Reilly, Interim President and CEO. "Quality of care for patients is our top priority at Saint Alphonsus, and we have a skillful and dedicated team of physicians, clinicians and caregivers. It is because of their hard work and commitment to quality that our patients and their families receive healthcare services that are among the best in the nation."
These findings were included in the eleventh annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study, which is the most comprehensive study of its kind, analyzing more than 41 million Medicare hospitalization records from 2005 to 2007 at the nation’s approximately 5,000 non-federal hospitals.
According to the study, if all hospitals performed at the level of five-star rated hospitals, 237,420 Medicare deaths could potentially have been prevented over the three years studied. More than half of those preventable deaths were associated with four conditions: sepsis, pneumonia, heart failure and respiratory failure.
HealthGrades also found that patients treated at five-star rated hospitals for nine common procedures are 47 percent less likely to experience a major complication, such as post-operative infections or heart conditions, which can lengthen their hospital stay and increase costs. If all Medicare patients had been treated at a top-performing hospital compared to the lowest-performing hospitals during 2005-07, more than 123,000 major complications potentially could have been avoided.
While overall death rates declined from 2005 to 2007, the nation’s best-performing hospitals were able to reduce preventable deaths at a much faster rate than poor-performing hospitals, resulting in large state, regional and hospital-to-hospital variations in the quality of patient care, the study found.
Dennis and Mary Hudson, Boise, can both attest to excellent outcomes in joint replacement surgery. Dennis, 68, had his left knee replacement surgery at Saint Alphonsus in April, and his right knee replacement surgery on October 6. Mary Hudson, 66, had a hip replacement surgery at Saint Alphonsus in June.
Dennis said, "My wife is doing just great, and I think my second knee replacement surgery has been easier than the first. I think one of the reasons behind Saint Alphonsus' orthopaedic success is the Joint Care Center's educational classes and team effort from nurses and staff. The classes teach and prepare you for what to do and expect prior, during and after your surgery. The people who teach the classes are the same nurses and staff who care for you on the orthopaedic floor, so you really have a connection with them. There was a real feeling with other patients and the staff that we're all in it together. I'm recovering very nicely."
Cindy Birdwell, 58 of Star, suffered a massive heart attack on August 28 as she was preparing to change places with a co-worker at a check-out station in the Star Mercantile grocery store. She suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. Cindy said, "My heart attack was so severe that nobody expected me to live. My daughters were grimly planning my funeral arrangements. But the doctors and nurses at Saint Alphonsus never gave up on me, and after the cardiovascular surgeon implanted a pacemaker and defibrillator I started to recover and heal. From the emergency room, to the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, to the Telemetry (monitoring) unit, the nurses, doctors, and care was amazing. I'm living proof of 5-star heart attack treatment."
Based on the study, HealthGrades today made available its 2009 quality ratings for virtually every hospital in the country at www.healthgrades.com, a Web site designed to help individuals research and compare local healthcare providers.
On its Web site, HealthGrades offers, free to consumers, quality ratings of 27 procedures and treatments for virtually every hospital in the country. The Web site is designed so that consumers can easily compare patient outcomes at their local hospitals for procedures ranging from aortic aneurysm repair to bypass surgery. Each hospital receives a star rating based on its patient outcomes in terms of mortality or complication rates for each procedure or treatment. Hospitals with outcomes that are above average to a statistically significant degree receive a five-star rating. Hospitals with average outcomes receive a three-star rating, and hospitals with outcomes that are below average receive a one-star rating. Because no two hospitals or their patients’ risk profiles are alike, HealthGrades employs extensive risk-adjustment algorithms to ensure that it is making analogous comparisons.
About Saint Alphonsus. Saint Alphonsus is a 387-licensed bed regional medical center serving people throughout the Northwest. Saint Alphonsus emphasizes care that is patient-centered, innovative and community based. Saint Alphonsus focuses on providing services in a spiritual, healing environment, and is renowned for its state-of-the-art digital environment and pioneering technologies; award-winning clinical services; a nationally accredited Life Flight program and the region’s Trauma Center. For information about Saint Alphonsus visit www.saintalphonsus.org.
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| Reference : - www.saintalphonsus.org |
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