Texas Institute for Surgery at Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas Recognized for High-Quality Care

DALLAS, May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Institute for Surgery (TIS) has received the Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Gold Award from TMF^® Health Quality Institute, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Texas. The Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Award program, sponsored by TMF, Texas Hospital Association and Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals recognizes Texas hospitals that have undertaken quality initiatives to improve outcomes in patient care and improve their performance on specific national quality measures. This program was established in 2004 as a non-competitive recognition program designed to recognize exemplary outcomes achieved by hospitals statewide.

The 2014 Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Awards, based on achievements in 2012 and 2013, honor Texas hospitals that are performing quality initiatives aimed at improving outcomes in patient care by recognizing those hospitals that have improved their performance on specific national quality measures.

"We are delighted to have received recognition for the standard by which TIS practices patient care. The Triple S Campaign, for Safety, Service and Satisfaction in all we do, is an on-going hospital-wide initiative," says David Helfer, President, TIS.

"TIS was founded as a cooperative between physician investors and Texas Health Resources with a vision of what health care delivery could and should look like," said Dr. Ford Albritton, IV, Chairman, TIS.  Patient outcome-focused care relies on a team approach that meticulously aims at polished delivery in every phase of the patient encounter. Quality improvement remains a dynamic process that TIS embraces in its mission to provide exemplary healthcare outcomes worthy of the trust put forth by patients and their families when seeking care for their conditions.  TMF's recognition affirms the diligent efforts by ALL TIS staff, physicians, providers, and leadership.  Such affirmation helps  our staff realize an external validity of their efforts and helps maintain upward trajectory.

Out of all 313 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS or Acute Care) Hospitals and 80 Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) statewide, 33 earned the Texas Health Hospital Quality Improvement Gold Award. The Silver Award went to 45 hospitals, and 57 hospitals earned the Bronze Award. Hospitals receiving these awards will be recognized at a special ceremony in Austin on June 11.

"TMF is proud to recognize these hospitals for promoting quality improvement activities and their senior management for promoting a quality culture," said Tom Manley, CEO of TMF Health Quality Institute. "Quality improvement is a complex and demanding process, and we thank Texas Institute for Surgery for their commitment to improving the health of Texans and the efficiency of health care in our state."

"Successfully reaching high standards of care through clinical excellence is our top priority when it comes to patient care," said Joy Dier, Chief Nursing Officer.  "We will continue to enhance our quality improvement efforts through our collaboration with our staff and physicians, along with TMF Health Quality Institute to ensure that every patient gets top quality care at every opportunity."

Gold Award winners had to attain an aggregate ACM score of 95-100 percent for designated IQR measures, were required to meet the 2010 national median threshold for at least 60 percent of submitted chart-abstracted OQR measures and had to meet the 2010 national benchmark threshold for at least one OQR measure. In addition, Gold Award winners had to demonstrate a 20 percent relative improvement in the reduction of hospital readmissions during the evaluation period, or an absolute readmissions rate of 9 percent or lower.

TMF Health Quality Institute focuses on improving lives by improving the quality of health care through contracts with federal, state and local governments, as well as private organizations. For more than 40 years, TMF has helped health care providers and practitioners in a variety of settings improve care for their patients. www.tmf.org

SOURCE Texas Institute for Surgery