strong>HealthGrades Study Found that 18,089 Women’s Lives
Could Have Been Saved if all Hospitals Performed at Five-Star Level
HCA Virginia Health System announced today that the nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization ranked its Chippenham, Johnston-Willis, Henrico Doctors’ and Parham Doctors’ Hospitals among the top 5% in the nation for Women’s Health quality outcomes, recognized by the 2009/2010 Women’s Health Excellence Award™.
The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women’s Health in American Hospitals study released today by HealthGrades analyzed patient outcomes for the in-hospital treatment of 16 procedures/diagnoses concerning women’s health and maternity care. The study found that wide gaps persist between the quality of care at best and worst performing hospitals.
If all hospitals in the study performed at the level of the best-performing hospitals in women’s health, 18,089 women’s lives could have potentially been saved and 6,849 complications could have been avoided during the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. Eighty-two percent (14,930) of the potentially preventable deaths were associated with the treatment of just four diagnoses: pneumonia, stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.
“The way in which women present symptoms differ from men in acute situations, such as heart attack,” said Dr. Rick May, senior physician consultant with HealthGrades and a study co-author. “Treatment for women can also differ and the quality can certainly vary between hospitals, so it is important for women to know which hospitals are recognized among the top five percent in the nation.”
Hospitals that receive this award, like Chippenham, Johnston-Willis, Henrico Doctors’ and Parham Doctors’, rank among the top 5% of all hospitals nationwide when it comes to providing care to women in three areas: Women’s Medicine (heart attack, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and stroke); Women’s Cardiovascular Procedures (coronary bypass surgery, peripheral vascular bypass, coronary interventional procedures, resection/replacement of abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid surgery, and valve replacement); and Women’s Bone & Joint Health (total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, spinal surgeries, and hip fracture repair).In the study, HealthGrades analyzed more than 2.6 million hospitalizations using Medicare data from all 50 states from 2005 through 2007. To be included in the analysis, hospitals had to have an open heart program and treat significant numbers of women for stroke. Hospitals also had to have a significant patient population in at least six additional cohorts from all areas (pulmonary, cardiac, vascular, orthopedics and spine).
The study, along with HealthGrades’ individual hospital ratings, can be viewed for free at www.HealthGrades.com.
About HCA Virginia Health System – Central Virginia Market
With 1,800 beds, more than 6,600 employees and 1,600 affiliated physicians, the Central Virginia team of HCA Virginia Health System is the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider and one of the largest private employers in Central Virginia. In Central Virginia, HCA Virginia Health System operates six hospital campuses along with freestanding surgery, imaging and family health centers. Our hospitals include Chippenham Hospital, Johnston-Willis Hospital, John Randolph Medical Center, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Parham Doctors’ Hospital and Retreat Doctors’ Hospital. Both CJW Medical Center and Henrico Doctors’ Hospital have been named HealthGrades ‘America’s 50 Best Hospitals’ in 2007 and 2008. They are the only Virginia hospitals to earn this distinction two years in a row. For more information or to select a physician, please contact 804-320-DOCS or visit www.HCAvirginia.com.
