Three HealthONE Hospitals Earn 'Top Performer on Key Quality Measures' Recognition From The Joint Commission

DENVER, Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthONE announces today that North Suburban Medical Center, Rose Medical Center and Swedish Medical Center were named as three of the nation's top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. The three HealthONE hospitals were recognized by The Joint Commission based on reported data about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia.

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North Suburban, Rose, and Swedish are three of 405 U.S. hospitals and only five hospitals in Colorado earning the distinction of top performer on key quality measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Inclusion on the list is based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the previous calendar year. This year's first recognition program is based on data that were reported for 2010.

"At the HealthONE hospitals, we understand that what matters most to our patients is safe, effective care," said Lindy Garvin, Vice President of Quality for HealthONE. "Because of our obligation to our patients, we have made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. We are proud that three of our facilities have been named to this exclusive list because it proves that our quality efforts are working and providing the best outcomes for our patients."

To be recognized as a top performer on key quality measures, North Suburban, Rose and Swedish met specific 95 percent performance thresholds on data reported to The Joint Commission. This means that when opportunities arise to provide evidence-based practices, the hospitals did so for at least 95 percent of the time. Examples of evidence-based practices include giving aspirin before and after the arrival of heart attack patients and giving antibiotics before surgery.

Rose and Swedish were both recognized for achieving three thresholds: heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia. North Suburban was recognized for achieving two thresholds: heart attack and pneumonia.  "Today, the public expects transparency in the reporting of performance at the hospitals where they receive care, and The Joint Commission is shining a light on the top performing hospitals such as North Suburban Medical Center, Rose Medical Center and Swedish Medical Center that have achieved excellence on a number of vital measures of quality care," said Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president of The Joint Commission.

In addition to being included in today's release of The Joint Commission's "Improving America's Hospitals" annual report, the HealthONE hospitals will be recognized on The Joint Commission's Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org).

About HealthONE

HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with 8,700 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. The health system is a Colorado company created in 1995 as a 50/50 joint venture between non-profit The Colorado Health Foundation, Colorado's second largest charitable foundation, and various affiliates of HCA (NYSE: HCA). 

HealthONE includes: The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; North Suburban Medical Center; Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center (P/SL) and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children; Rose Medical Center; Sky Ridge Medical Center; Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital; Swedish Medical Center and Swedish Southwest ER; 13 ambulatory surgical centers; more than 30 occupational medicine/rehabilitation, specialty, and outpatient diagnostic imaging clinics; and AirLife Denver, which provides critical care air and ground transportation for an eight-state region.

SOURCE HealthONE