St. Joseph Health, Queen of the Valley Medical Center has achieved the
Healthgrades America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award™ for the second
consecutive year, placing the hospital in the top 5 percent of nearly
4,500 hospitals assessed nationwide for its superior clinical performance,
as measured by
Healthgrades, a resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.
“Providing the highest quality of care to our patients is our top
priority and this award reflects our caregivers’ commitment to ensuring
patient safety is always at the forefront,” said Larry Coomes, chief
executive officer.
From 2016 through 2018, patients treated in hospitals achieving the award
had, on average, a 26.6 percent lower risk of dying than if they were
treated in hospitals that did not receive the award, as measured across
19 rated conditions and procedures for which mortality is the outcome*.
During that same period, if all hospitals performed similarly to those
achieving the Healthgrades America's 250 Best Hospitals Award, 161,930
lives could potentially have been saved.
For example, patients treated for sepsis in hospitals achieving the award
have, on average, a 25.5 percent lower risk of dying than if they were
treated in hospitals that did not receive the award*. A dedicated sepsis
rapid response team at Queen of the Valley was implemented in 2017 to
ensure early recognition and prompt, intensive treatment of sepsis and
the hospital received a Five-Star Award from Healthgrades for its treatment
of sepsis the past two years.
“Hospital quality varies significantly from hospital to hospital,
so it’s important for consumers to do their research and select
a hospital that provides the best level of care for their specific needs,”
said Brad Bowman, M.D., chief medical officer at Healthgrades.
Recipients of the Healthgrades America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award
stand out among the rest for overall clinical excellence across a broad
spectrum of care. During the 2020 study period (2016 through 2018), these
hospitals showed superior performance in clinical outcomes for patients
in the Medicare population across at least 21 of 32 most common inpatient
conditions and procedures — as measured by objective performance
data (risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications).
To learn more about how Healthgrades determines award recipients, and for
more information on Healthgrades Quality Solutions, please visit
www.healthgrades.com/quality.