Prime Healthcare Services Review of State Health Data Confirms Normal Malnutrition Rates Among Its Medicare Patients; Recent Studies Debunked

ONTARIO, Calif., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Healthcare Services (PHS), California's leading healthcare provider and one of the nation's top for-profit healthcare systems, today announced the result of a detailed review of California's 2009 Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) Data on malnutrition rates at all of the state's hospitals.

This review – which was conducted over the last two weeks – found that, when compared in a statically accurate measure, several of California's hospitals report the same level of severe malnutrition among their Medicare patients. Specifically, Prime Healthcare's Medicare patients are within the normal range when compared to similar hospitals across the state, in contrast to similar analysis conducted by other organizations.

This detailed review by PHS of the 2009 OSHPD Data also revealed that:

• The hospital with the highest malnutrition rate in California among Medicare patients is, in fact, a hospital administered by a non-PHS system in Woodland Hills, with an average malnutrition rate of no less than 42.3% (2,354 cases of malnutrition out of 5,561 discharges).

• In 2009, the majority of the Kwashiorkor (an acute form of protein-energy malnutrition) cases reported by California hospitals occurred in adults, not children. Specifically, there were 2,395 cases of Kwashiorkor reported by non-PHS hospitals with 2,181 or 91.06% being reported in patients that were 35 years old or older. Also, 62.6% (or 1,499 of the 2,181 reported cases) occurred in Medicare patients 65 years old or older.

• A non-PHS medical center in Rancho Mirage, California (an area with an average age of 56 years old) reported 240 cases of Kwashiorkor in 2009, with 89.58% of the cases occurring in patients 35 years old or older and 62.1% (or 149 out of 240) of the cases occurring in patients 65 years old or older.

• A non-PHS hospital in Anaheim, California reported 146 cases of Kwashiorkor with 96.58% of the cases occurring in patients 35 years old or older and 58.2% (or 85 out of 146) of the cases occurring in patients 65 years old or older.

• A non-PHS hospital in Orange County, California reported 138 cases of Kwashiorkor with 89.86% of the cases occurring in patients 35 years old or older and 61.6% (or 85 out of 138) of the cases occurring in patients 65 years old or older.

• A non-PHS hospital in Northern California reported 70 cases of Kwashiorkor with 87.1% of the cases occurring in patients 35 years old or older and 34.3% (or 24 out of 70) of the cases occurring in patients 65 years old or older.

PHS is the industry's leader in malnutrition detection and prevention, employing a robust nutritional screening program that combats the serious and frequently under-diagnosed condition of malnutrition. Working together, physicians and registered dieticians at the 14 Prime Healthcare hospitals throughout California screen all incoming patients for any preexisting nutritional issues and assess the appropriate course of treatment. These efforts have been proven to reduce the health complications associated with malnutrition, a common condition that, if left untreated, can lead to increased morbidity and other serious health problems.  

While the efforts have improved patient care outcomes, they have also resulted in more patients being properly diagnosed with malnutrition, which have driven the average malnutrition rates higher than at other hospitals which have not taken the initiative.

About Prime Healthcare Services  

Prime Healthcare Services, headquartered Ontario, California, is a progressive, innovative and rapidly expanding hospital management company in Northern and Southern California that provides comprehensive quality healthcare in a compassionate, convenient and cost-effective manner. With more than 9,000 employees, PHS, by and through its subsidiaries, currently owns and operates twelve acute care hospitals: Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, Centinela Hospital Medical in Inglewood, Chino Valley Medical Center in Chino, Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center in Garden Grove, Huntington Beach Hospital in Huntington Beach, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital in La Palma, Paradise Valley Hospital in National City, San Dimas Community Hospital in San Dimas, Shasta Regional Medical Center in Redding, Sherman Oaks Hospital in Sherman Oaks, and West Anaheim Medical Center in Anaheim in California. Prime Healthcare Services Foundation owns and operates Encino Hospital Medical Center in Encino, and Montclair Hospital Medical Center in Montclair, California. For more information, please visit www.primehealthcare.com.

SOURCE Prime Healthcare Services