Atlanta, GA (October 13, 2009) – DeKalb Medical has achieved a 5-star rating for treatment of cardiac conditions including heart attack and heart failure, according to a comprehensive annual study released today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. Further, DeKalb Medical has been recognized by HealthGrades for being 5 star-rated for treatment for heart attack four years in a row. The HealthGrades study annually assesses patient outcomes – mortality and complication rates – at nearly all of the nation’s 5,000 nonfederal hospitals. These findings place DeKalb Medical among Atlanta’s best hospitals.
DeKalb Medical has achieved 5 stars in the following categories:
· Treatment of Heart Attack 4 years in a row
· Treatment of Heart Failure
· Peripheral Vascular Bypass Surgery 2 years in a row
· Treatment of Sepsis 2 years in a row
· Hip Fracture Repair 2 years in a row
· Joint Replacement Surgery
· Knee Replacement Surgery
DeKalb Medical also ranked in the top 10 in Georgia for critical care.
"The independent analysis done by HealthGrades is significant because it highlights the fact that High Quality care is Safe care. Their national database reveals that mortality rates are 72% lower in 5 Star-rated hospitals like ours compared to 1 Star-rated hospitals. We never stop pushing our own performance higher because our patients entrust us with their lives," states Eric Norwood, FACHE, DeKalb Medical’s President and CEO.
According to the twelfth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study top-rated hospitals had a 52% lower mortality rate than the U.S. national average when looking at the patient outcomes of 17 procedures and diagnoses ranging from bypass surgery to treatment for heart attack. When the top-rated hospitals were compared to the poorest performers, there was an even greater difference, 72% lower mortality.
“Our achievements have been led by a mission from our Board of Directors, medical staff and executive leadership team who have committed to quality and patient safety as “job one.” This leadership commitment has enabled DeKalb Medical to infuse a culture of care and accountability throughout our organization where every member of our staff is focused on what’s best for our patients,” comments Cathleen Wheatley, MS, RN, DeKalb Medical’s Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer.
Wheatley adds, “We’re fortunate to have a highly skilled team of experts in clinical performance improvement and infection prevention through our Quality Institute who focus intently on ensuring effective process measures to drive the quality of our patient outcomes, along with a state-of-the art informatics system to reduce errors and improve patient safety through computerized physician order entry and electronic documentation. At the core of our success are our doctors, nurses and support staff who have made a quality promise to our patients and have committed to making the right care happen every day.”
The new 2010 HealthGrades hospital ratings were posted today at
www.healthgrades.com, HealthGrades’ public Web site.
HealthGrades Ratings
HealthGrades’ hospital ratings and awards reflect the track record of patient outcomes at hospitals in the form of mortality and complication rates. HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated.
For 28 procedures and treatments, HealthGrades issues star ratings that reflect the mortality and complication rates for each category of care. Hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average, to a statistically significant degree. A 3-star rating means the hospital performs as expected. One-star ratings indicate the hospital’s mortality or complication rates in that procedure or treatment are statistically higher than average. Because the risk profiles of patient populations at hospitals are not alike, HealthGrades risk-adjusts the data to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons.
More information on today’s HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found at
www.healthgrades.com.
About DeKalb Medical
A leader in cancer, heart attack treatment and orthopedics, DeKalb Medical is a non-profit hospital system serving half a million patients annually. Founded in Atlanta in 1961, the system includes the 451-bed DeKalb Medical at North Decatur, which was named in the top 5% of all U.S. hospitals in 2009 for clinical excellence by HealthGrades® and received the Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence award. In addition, the System also operates the 40-bed DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care at Downtown Decatur and the 100-bed DeKalb Medical at Hillandale in Lithonia. For more information on DeKalb Medical, visit
www.dekalbmedical.org.