St. Joseph Medical Center named to Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals list

Reading, PA., November 15, 2011 -- St. Joseph Medical Center has been named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Thomson Reuters.
 
   The study examined the performance of more than 1,000 hospitals by analyzing outcomes for patients with heart failure and heart attacks and for those who received coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary interventions such as angioplasties.
   This year’s winners were announced November 14th in Modern Healthcare magazine.
http://www.100tophospitals.com/top-cardio-hospitals/
   According to Thomson Reuters, the study examined the performance of about 1,000 hospitals by analyzing outcomes for patients with heart failure and heart attacks and for those who received coronary bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary interventions such as catheterizations and angioplasties.
   “This year’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals have continued to deliver excellent care and have been able to improve their performance in a tough economic climate," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals® program at Thomson Reuters.
She continued: “The hospitals in this study have provided measurably better care and are more efficient than their peers, demonstrating incredibly strong focus by hospital leadership at a time when the healthcare system is steeped in volatility.”
   The study shows that 97 percent of cardiovascular inpatients in U.S. hospitals survive and approximately 96 percent remain complication-free, reflecting improved cardiovascular care
across-the-board over the past year. The 50 Top hospitals’ performance surpasses these high-water marks as indicated by:
 - Better risk-adjusted survival rates (23 percent fewer deaths than non-winning hospitals for bypass surgery patients). 
 - Lower complications indices (40 percent lower rate of heart failure complications). 
 - Fewer patients readmitted to the hospital after 30 days. 
 - Shorter hospital visits and lower costs. Top hospitals discharge bypass patients nearly a full day sooner and spend $4,200 less per bypass case than non-winners.  
 - Increased use of internal mammary artery (IMA) for coronary artery bypass surgeries.  Top hospitals have increased their use of this recommended procedure from 88 to 96 percent.
 
   How did St. Joe’s became a Top 50 Heart Hospital? 
   According to Lori Shober, Director of St. Joseph's Heart Institute, St. Joseph has become a Top 50 Heart Hospital by having the right people and right processes in place and delivering care quickly.

   "Unlike other illnesses or injuries, if you are having a true heart problem, making the right decision where to go for your care is the most important choice you make," Shober said.  "So, first, if you are having chest pains, call 911 because pre hospital care is vital to quick diagnosis." 
   She continues:  “Heart care continues with Emergency doctors who are on the receiving end of vital information from EMS providers and can quickly assess and stabilize the patient.   Then our cardiologists, who use the latest techniques, even participating in clinical trials for medical equipment and procedures to determine their usefulness, diagnose the problem and determine the interventional plan.  They then work in state-of-the-art interventional laboratories using the latest
technology to diagnose and treat the patient.  If the patient needs open heart surgery, the patient is referred to our Open Heart Team for care.  And, finally, but not last, our doctors are supported in the Cath labs and in the hospital by staff who are highly trained and experienced in caring for cardiology patients.”
   “There will be people celebrating the holidays this year with their families and friends," Shober noted.  "And they will be able to celebrate because they were treated by a team that, as this recognition shows, is among the elite in the nation when it comes to the best heart
care treatment.”
   "We are honored by this designation and proud of our Heart Institute's commitment to quality service and role in helping to set national standards,” said John R. Morahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Joseph. “Being in the Top 50 in the nation recognizes our leadership position in bringing the best cardiovascular care to our region.
   “We are very proud of this accomplishment," Dr. Lou Borgatta, a board certified cardiologist and a member of Berks Cardiologist, Ltd. said. "It is a result of the hard work and dedication of our physicians and staff, who strive every day to provide the best possible care for our patients.  This recognition signifies what can be achieved when we focus on teamwork and offer patient-centered care."
   The Thomson Reuters 50 Top Hospitals designation is the latest in a series of honors that recognize the quality of care provided by St. Joseph Medical Center.   Recently, St. Joseph was acknowledged as a Blue Cross Center for Distinction for Cardiac Care, and, very recently,
St. Joseph also was honored by Healthgrades for coronary intervention excellence in 2011 and with an award for the 'best patient experience.'
   The study on which the Top 50 designation was based on evaluating general and applicable specialty, short-term, acute care, non-federal U.S. hospitals treating a broad spectrum of cardiology patients. 
   Thomson Reuters researchers analyzed 2009 and 2010 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data, Medicare cost reports, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare data.  They scored hospitals in key performance areas: risk-adjusted mortality,
risk-adjusted complications, core measures (a group of measures that assess process of care), percentage of coronary bypass patients with internal mammary artery use, 30-day mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, severity-adjusted average length of stay, and age-and-severity-adjusted average cost.

   Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.  They combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization.