2005 HealthGrades
GSMC News – GOOD SHEPHERD MEDICAL CENTER IN TOP 5% FOR CLINICAL EXCELLENCE
Patients at HealthGrades Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence Have 12-20% Better Survival Rates for Common Procedures and Diagnoses.
Good Shepherd Medical Center announced today that a new national study by HealthGrades places it among the top five percent in the U.S. for clinical quality performance. As a result, HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent healthcare quality company, has recognized Good Shepherd Medical Center with the 2005 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™.
Good Shepherd Medical Center also received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ in 2003 and 2004, making it one of only three hospitals in the state of Texas to achieve this distinction three years on a row.
The HealthGrades study identifies the highest-quality hospitals in the nation in terms of clinical excellence by analyzing federal Medicare patient data for 28 common medical procedures and diagnoses, from hip replacement to bypass surgery. Good Shepherd Medical Center is one of only 229 hospitals in the country to qualify for the recognition in the study, which is officially titled the HealthGrades 2005 Study of Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence.
“Saving and improving the lives of people in this community is the top priority of our physicians, nurses and staff,” said Jerry D. Adair, Health System President and CEO. “As an objective third party, HealthGrades has found once again that we’re not only achieving our goal, but performing in elite company nationwide. I am very pleased with this recognition, which is shared by everyone affiliated with Good Shepherd.”
According to the HealthGrades study, Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence have markedly better mortality and complication rates, even though they tend to treat more and sicker patients. Nationally, a Medicare patient who underwent heart bypass surgery at a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence had a 15.3 percent better chance of surviving than a patient who received treatment at an average hospital. The improved survival rates at Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence were also 15.4 percent for stroke, 12.62 percent for heart attack (in hospitals where angioplasty and stent treatments were available), and 19.55 percent for community-acquired pneumonia.
“There is clearly a difference in the quality of care available, and for patients and families in our community, this is good news,” said Adair. “It means that at Good Shepherd, patients with serious conditions and complex diagnoses are much more likely to survive and thrive as a result of their hospital stay.”
In its 2005 study, HealthGrades independently and objectively analyzed Medicare patient records from fiscal years 2001-03, for 28 medical procedures and diagnoses. To qualify for the list, hospitals were required to meet minimum thresholds in terms of patient volumes, quality ratings and the range of services provides (see attached methodology paper for details). Hospitals with risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates that scored in the top five percent or better nationally – which demonstrates superior overall clinical performance – were then recognized as Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence.
About Good Shepherd Medical Center
Good Shepherd Medical Center is a 412-bed acute care regional referral center providing specialized care in a range of services including cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, urology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation and emergency services. Since its establishment in 1935 as Gregg Memorial Hospital, Good Shepherd Health System has grown to include not only the Medical Center, but also an ambulatory surgical center, three professional medical buildings and family health centers located throughout the Northeast Texas area. As a not-for-profit Medical Center, Good Shepherd’s commitment to the community is to provide quality healthcare services needed by each and every member of the community.
In 1999, Good Shepherd Medical Center was named one of the overall Top 100 Hospitals in the nation and one of the Top 100 Orthopaedic Hospitals. In 2001, the Medical Center was named as one of the Top 100 ICU Hospitals and in 2003 one of the Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals. These awards recognized the hospital as a leader in the areas of clinical service, quality, operations and financial management.