Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A new study ranked two Wichita hospitals among the best in the country for clinical performance.

Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis and Via Christi Hospital on Harry received HealthGrades’ Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence™ award, placing them among the top 5 percent in the nation.

It is the sixth year in a row that they have received the award from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization.

“I’m pleased to see our physicians’ and staff’s efforts to do what’s best for patients and families recognized again this year,” said Randy Peterson, senior vice president of hospitals for Via Christi Health. “It’s a well-deserved recognition of their day-to-day commitment to high quality care.”

The report identifies those hospitals with the best overall clinical performance across 26 medical diagnoses and procedures that the organization rates. HealthGrades evaluates hospitals solely on clinical outcomes: risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications.

HealthGrades analysis is based on approximately 40 million Medicare discharges for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010. According to the HealthGrades study, distinguished hospitals for clinical excellence had a 30-percent lower risk-adjusted mortality rate and a 1.86-percent lower risk-adjusted in-hospital complication rate among Medicare beneficiaries compared to all other hospitals.

Last fall, Via Christi’s hospitals on St. Francis and Harry were named to HealthGrades’ America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke and Critical Care.