Virginia Health Information Releases Report on Highest Ranking Hospitals and Nursing Facilities

RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Businesses and health care purchasers no longer have to guess which Virginia hospitals and nursing facilities rank best in financial and operational performance. Virginia Health Information (VHI) takes the guesswork out of finding this information with the release of its annual 2011 Industry Report: Virginia Hospital & Nursing Facilities, which reports efficiency rankings, providers' costs, profits and charity care.

"Information on provider costs, efficiency and productivity is especially beneficial for businesses and health care purchasers," said Michael T. Lundberg executive director VHI. "The 2011 Industry Report can play a key role in value-based purchasing."

For the 18th year, VHI has assessed and ranked hospitals and nursing facilities based on five performance categories -- charges, costs, productivity and utilization, financial viability and community support. Due to significant differences in regional cost structure, VHI has "leveled the playing field" by applying Medicare's Wage-Price Index to accurately compare acute hospitals. This year's top five hospitals with the highest efficiency ranking include:

• Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center
• Riverside Walter Reed Hospital
• Virginia Hospital Center
• Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital
• Prince William Hospital

Since its start in 1993, VHI has supported and advocated for health care transparency in Virginia. Keeping with that tradition, VHI's Industry Report contains between 13-24 indicators including costs and payments per admission, staffing levels, profit margins and charity care contributions depending on the type of facility.

The Industry Report is targeted to the needs of employers and purchasers of health care and the data has been used for more than a decade to help build networks and negotiate provider contracts. It was developed collaboratively among VHI, health care providers and principal investigator, Dr. Ramesh K. Shukla while at the Williamson Institute at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Information from the 2011 Industry Report is also online at www.vhi.org along with additional information on hospital quality of care and patient satisfaction information. Contact Virginia Health Information at 1-877-VHI-INFO or [email protected]. VHI is the non-profit organization the Commonwealth of Virginia and businesses go to for consumer and business health information.

Press Contact:
Virginia Health Information
Michael T. Lundberg, Executive Director
Phone: 804-644-7026
Toll Free: 1-877-VHI-INFO
Web Site: www.vhi.org

SOURCE Virginia Health Information