GOOD SAMARITAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER SCORES WELL IN “HEALTHGRADES” SURVEY

Cardiac care at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center is in the top 10 percent in the nation as measured by lowest risk-adjusted complications, according to a new report from Healthgrades, the leading online resource that helps consumers search, compare and connect with physicians and hospitals. The report, American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2014: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, evaluates hospital performance at over 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 31 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions from 2010 through 2012.

The new report highlights the disparity in hospital performance for specific conditions and procedures and the impact that this variation may have on health outcomes. For example, from 2010-2012, if all hospitals as a group, performed similarly to hospitals receiving 5-stars as a group, on average 234,252 lives could potentially have been saved and 157,418 complications could potentially have been avoided. A 5-star rating indicates that Good Samaritan’s clinical outcomes are better than expected when treating the condition or conducting the procedure being evaluated.

Good Samaritan not only performs at a 5 star level – it outperforms other hospitals in the nation in this condition, and as a result has been recognized with the 2014 Healthgrades:

· Recipient of the Healthgrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™ in 2014
· Recipient of the Healthgrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ for 2 Years in a Row (2013-2014)
· Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services in 2014
· Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Cardiology Services in 2014
· Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Coronary Interventional Procedures for 2 Years in a Row (2013-2014)
· Five-Star Recipient for Coronary Interventional Procedures for 2 Years in a Row (2013-2014)
· Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Attack for 2 Years in a Row (2013-2014)
· Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure for 3 Years in a Row (2012-2014)

Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center also received the 2014 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, according to Healthgrades. The distinction makes Good Samaritan one of the top five percent of more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide for its clinical performance.

From 2010 through 2012, Healthgrades Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence as a group had an overall 26.4% lower risk adjusted mortality rate across 19 procedures and conditions where in-hospital mortality was the clinical outcome, compared to all other hospitals. During this same period, if all other hospitals performed at the level of Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence across these 19 procedures and conditions, 156,036 lives could potentially have been saved.

Variation in hospital performance exists locally as well as nationally. For example, of the 61 hospitals evaluated located in the New York, NY/Northern New Jersey metropolitan area for treatment of Stroke, risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates ranged from 2.7 percent on the low end to 25 percent on the high end, which is more than a nine-fold difference in mortality rates.