Seventh Annual HealthGrades Report Focuses on Clinical Excellence
November 11, 2004
Results from an independent national study rate Lutheran Hospital number one in Indiana for overall cardiac services. As part of its seventh annual Hospital Quality in America Study, HealthGrades analyzed nearly 5,000 hospitals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, objectively assessing clinical outcomes and quality at each facility.
“We’re very pleased and proud to be recognized with this outstanding HealthGrades quality rating, which validates our commitment to clinical excellence,” said Tom Miller, chief executive officer for Lutheran Hospital. “Top ratings from an independent, objective national source demonstrate the quality care that our physicians, nurses and staff deliver to the patients and families in our community every day.”
HealthGrades, the nation’s leading healthcare quality company, conducts ratings to measure whether patient outcomes for each of more than two dozen procedures and diagnoses are better than expected (5-Star), as expected (3-Star) or worse than expected (1-Star). Five-star ratings for clinical excellence in coronary bypass surgery, coronary interventional procedures and acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) helped Lutheran obtain its number one rating in the state for overall cardiac services.
“In Indiana, Lutheran Hospital stands out notably in terms of delivering quality care for its cardiac patients,” said Sarah Loughran, HealthGrades executive vice president. “Patients, families and employers here truly have access to healthcare that is among the best in the nation.”
HealthGrades objectively assesses and rates hospital performance in order to help consumers make better and more informed healthcare choices added Loughran. “With consumers having a greater stake in their healthcare purchasing decisions, it’s important for them to know that there is a tremendous difference in clinical quality outcomes between hospitals,” she said.
The HealthGrades ratings for all hospitals nationwide are made available, free of charge, on the Web at www.healthgrades.com. More than one million unique users and 125 major employers visit the HealthGrades Web site every month to access quality information about hospitals, nursing homes and physicians. HealthGrades also provides consumers and payers with detailed assessments of hospitals’ patient safety outcomes, based on indicators developed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
About HealthGrades
Health Grades, Inc. (OTCBB: HGRD) is the leading independent healthcare quality company, providing ratings, information and advisory services to healthcare providers, employers, health plans and insurance companies. HealthGrades works with healthcare providers to help assess, improve and promote their quality. HealthGrades provides consumers access to information about the clinical quality and patient safety outcomes of healthcare providers and practitioners through its Web site and provides liability insurers, employers and payers with critical information about healthcare quality and safety.
About Heart Care at Lutheran Hospital
Lutheran Hospital, celebrating its 100th anniversary during 2004, has a proud tradition of heart care that includes numerous city, state, national and international “firsts.” Even before establishing the region’s first Coronary Care Unit in 1967, Lutheran Hospital had become keenly aware of the special needs of heart patients and their families. Through periods of exciting change, Lutheran has continued to build relationships with local physicians and medical professionals who share a passion for providing patients the knowledge, skill and technology needed to remain on the cutting edge of heart care. Lutheran is home to the region’s only heart transplant program and the region’s only accredited chest pain center. The next exciting chapter begins in less than a month with the completion of the 19,000-square-foot Lutheran Heart Pavilion that is scheduled to open December 6.
