Prime Healthcare Recognized as Top 15 Health System in the Nation

ONTARIO, Calif., Jan. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters, the world's leading source of information, today recognized Prime Healthcare Services as one of the 15 Top Health Systems in the nation based on quality of care, efficiency and patient satisfaction. This is the second time in four years that Prime Healthcare has earned the national distinction. Prime Healthcare was recognized as a Top 10 Health System in 2009 by Thomson Reuters in its first-ever landmark study of health systems based on quality and efficiency. Prime Healthcare is the only health system to receive this coveted recognition on the West Coast.

According to Thomson Reuters, compared to its peers, Prime Healthcare saved more lives, caused fewer patient complications, made fewer medical errors, followed recommended standards of care more closely, released patients half a day sooner on average and scored better on patient satisfaction surveys.

"This prestigious recognition speaks volumes of Prime Healthcare's commitment to its core values of quality and cost-effectiveness of health care delivery, bending the cost curve in these times of rapidly evolving healthcare reform across the nation," said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, Founder and Chairman of Prime Healthcare Services.

Among 321 health systems, 2,194 hospitals and over 8 million patient discharges included in the study, Prime Healthcare was among those that had a 24.4 percent lower mortality than was expected, 14.5 percent fewer medical complications, 31.7 percent fewer adverse patient safety incidents, the lowest readmission rates and higher percentage of patients who reported having a better overall hospital experience than comparable hospitals. Prime Healthcare ranked higher than the other 21 health systems in California and the more than 30 other health systems on the West Coast.

"Selection for the 15 Top Health Systems award is based solely on unbiased statistical results," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president of performance improvement at Thomson Reuters. "Because we rely on objective measurement derived from public data and peer-reviewed methods, health systems may not apply or pay for consideration in this study."

Prime Healthcare's hospitals were recognized numerous times in the past by various renowned national benchmarking organizations for their quality and efficiency of patient care. The independent Thomson Reuters 15 Top Health Systems recognition is the only study of its kind that aggregates individual hospital performance into system-level data across the nation.

"We congratulate the physicians, nurses and all the staff for putting Prime Healthcare on the top of the chart," said Lex Reddy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Prime Healthcare Services.  "They have put the West Coast on the national map of quality patient care."

The published study that is based on Medicare data of 2009, 2010 and 2011 takes into consideration 12 patient care metrics. Prime Healthcare was the largest system with thirteen hospitals compared to the peer group of two to five hospitals in the study, which underscores its system-wide implementation and adherence to the best-practice guidelines of quality patient care.

"Upon further analysis of the Thomson Reuters research data, I am proud to note that Prime Healthcare excelled even this elite group in the key patient care measures of mortality, patient safety, medical complications and CORE measures," said Suzanne Richards, RN, Vice President of Clinical Operations, Prime Healthcare Services, who is also a statistician. 

Prime Healthcare hospitals that were included in this study were Centinela Regional Medical Center, Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and West Anaheim Medical Center.  

SOURCE Prime Healthcare