| We are proud of our ongoing efforts to find ways to improve the quality of our care and patient safety at DeKalb Medical but we don’t just look at our performance. We use nationally recognized organizations that compare hospitals to see how our performance ranks against similar hospitals. Not only do we evaluate our clinical performance but we also look closely at patient safety comparisons. These efforts help us find ways to improve our quality of care and patient safety.
Patient Safety Comparisons Earn VHA Recognition
DeKalb Medical’s commitment to clinical and operational excellence was recognized in 2009 with two leadership awards from VHA Georgia. VHA Georgia is the regional office of Voluntary Hospitals of America (VHA), an organization that has 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals as members. VHA and its member hospitals are dedicated to helping all hospitals succeed through the delivery of superior clinical services and implementation of superior operational processes.
A VHA Operational Excellence award went to the Emergency Room at North Decatur for decreasing wait times and improving patient satisfaction. By redesigning the triage area and enabling patients to register at the time they check in, the emergency department staff was able to streamline a patient’s visit and offer a higher level of customer service. Patient representatives located in the waiting room improve communication between patients, families and staff members so that everyone understands what is happening.
A VHA Clinical Excellence award was presented to DeKalb Medical at North Decatur for innovative protocols that reduced the incidence of pressure ulcers that developed while patients were in the hospital from 15% in 2008 to less than one percent in 2009.
HealthGrades® Recognizes DeKalb Medical for Clinical Excellence
When you compare hospitals and evaluate patient safety comparisons, it is important to use a reputable organization to be sure that the results are accurate. We are proud to be designated a 2009 Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence by HealthGrades®, America’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization.
In the largest study of its kind, HealthGrades analyzed more than 41 million hospitalization records and outcomes from more than 5,000 hospitals to compare hospitals and determine which hospitals have the best track record in saving lives. The importance of patient safety is one reason that DeKalb Medical participates in the HealthGrades study.
The study also found that only five percent of U.S. hospitals meet the same clinical quality standards required for a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence designation like DeKalb Medical. A milestone that if reached by all American hospitals, could save an estimated 152,600 lives each year.
The Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence designation not only places DeKalb Medical among the top five percent of all U.S. hospitals for clinical care but it also acknowledges our excellence in 26 rated diagnoses and procedures.
DeKalb Medical also received Five-Star Ratings, the highest rating available, in the following areas:
Stroke Care (2007, 2008, 2009)
• Recipient of the HealthGrades Stroke Care Excellence Award™ in 2009
• Ranked best hospital in Georgia for treatment of stroke
• Ranked in top 10% of all U.S. hospitals for stroke treatment
Heart Attack Care (2007, 2008, 2009)
Hip Care (2009)
• 5-Star Rated for Hip fracture repair in 2009
• 5-Star Rated for total hip replacement in 2007, 2008, 2009
Pneumonia Care (2009)
Vascular Bypass Surgery (2009)
Treatment of Sepsis (bloodstream infection) (2009)
HealthGrades uses predicted performance to compare hospitals and determine its star rating system. Five-Star Rated hospitals are top-rated hospitals with outcomes and performance levels that are better than expected. A hospital with a Three-Star Rating is considered “average” with outcomes and performance levels that fall within what the industry would expect, while a One-Star Rated hospital is a lower-rated hospital where actual performance and outcomes are worse than expected.
Only 15% of hospitals in the nation fall into the 5-Star category and an even smaller number (five percent) have outcomes comparable to DeKalb Medical’s.
You can visit this site or www.healthgrades.com for annual updates on DeKalb Medical’s clinical achievements in the HealthGrades study.
Other Ways We Compare Our Quality and Patient Safety
We don’t rely on just one quality measurement organization to give us a picture of how we are doing. Joint Commission, Consumer Reports, Hospital Compare, and other national benchmark organizations that compare hospitals and evaluate patient safety comparisons help us continuously improve our service to you. Each DeKalb Medical facility reports quality and patient safety data to different organizations that compare our performance to the performance of similar organizations. To see how DeKalb Medical facilities compare to other hospitals, select the facility below:
DeKalb Medical at North Decatur
DeKalb Medical at Hillandale
DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care at Downtown Decatur
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