Study: Saint Alphonsus Medical Center - Nampa Among Top 5% in the Nation for Patient Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


For more information, contact Elizabeth Duncan.

Nampa, ID – Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa was identified as a recipient of the 2012 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award™, indicating that its patient safety ratings are in the top 5% of U.S. hospitals. In a new study released today by HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital, Saint Alphonsus Medical Center - Nampa is one of only 263 hospitals in the country to receive this designation.

The study finds that Medicare patients at Patient Safety Excellence Award hospitals were almost 48% less likely to experience one of 13 preventable safety events compared to hospitals in the bottom 5% in the nation. If all hospitals performed at Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa’s level of distinction, approximately 254,000 patient safety events and 56,367 deaths among Medicare patients could have been avoided.

To identify the 2012 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award recipients, HealthGrades analyzed approximately 40 million hospitalization records from 5,000 hospitals nationwide that participate in the Medicare program. Participation in the HealthGrades study is not voluntary, and hospitals cannot choose to opt out of the analysis.

“This prestigious HealthGrades distinction validates our commitment to patient safety and quality outcomes,” said Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa CEO, Karl Keeler. “We achieve these results because of the dedication, professionalism and superior training of all our associates and medical staff. We live and breathe our mission each day and we are pleased to share this honor with families and individuals throughout the communities we serve.”

“From improving communication to implementing protocols to make surgery safer, hospitals across the country are working harder to reduce preventable patient safety events. The results of these efforts are clear among this year’s HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award hospitals,” said Kristin Reed, MPH, vice president of hospital quality programs at HealthGrades and author of the study. “Hospitals like Saint Alphonsus Medical Center - Nampa are not only setting the bar for high standards of patient safety but also serving as an example for other hospitals.”

HealthGrades uses Medicare inpatient data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) database and Patient Safety Indicator software from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to calculate event rates for 13 indicators of patient safety for all of the nation’s hospitals. All analysis was based on data from 2008 to 2010. These indicators identify the best-performing hospitals, which represent the top 5% of all U.S. hospitals and are this year’s HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award recipients. HealthGrades developed this award to give patients more information about choosing a hospital.

HealthGrades analyzes the following patient safety events for this study:

• Death in procedures where mortality is usually very low
• Pressure or bed sores acquired in hospital
• Death following a serious complication after surgery
• Foreign object left in body during a procedure
• Collapsed lung due to procedure or surgery in or around chest
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired at hospital
• Hip fracture following surgery
• Hemorrhage or hematoma resulting from procedure or surgery
• Electrolyte and fluid imbalance following surgery
• Respiratory failure following surgery
• Deep blood clots in lungs or legs following surgery
• Sepsis following surgery
• Breakdown of abdominal incision site

More information on HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award and the ratings methodology is available at HealthGrades.com.

About Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa


Saint Alponsus Medical Center – Nampa is a 152-bed acute care hospital serving the medical needs of Canyon County and surrounding areas. As a not-for-profit hospital, Saint Alphonsus Nampa reinvests its profits back into the community and works to improve the health and well-being of those we serve through medical services provided by Saint Alphonsus-Nampa, Nampa Health Plaza, Saint Alphonsus Nampa Hospice Services, Saint Alphonsus Nampa Birthing Center, and Saint Alphonsus Medical Group clinics. For more information about Saint Alphonsus Nampa, visit www.saintalphonsus.org/nampa.

About Saint Alphonsus Health System


Saint Alphonsus Health System is a four-hospital, 714-bed regional, faith-based Catholic ministry with over 4,300 Associates and 950 medical staff. Serving the people of southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon and northern Nevada, Saint Alphonsus Health System is comprised of Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, Idaho; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Nampa, ID; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Ontario, OR; Saint Alphonsus Medical Center – Baker City, OR; Saint Alphonsus Medical Group, with more than 275 primary care and specialty care providers at 35 clinic locations. As a not-for-profit health system, Saint Alphonsus Health System reinvests profits back into the community and works to improve the health and well-being of those we serve by emphasizing care that is patient-centered, innovative and community-based. Saint Alphonsus Health System is a member of Trinity Health, Novi, Michigan. To find out more go to: www.saintalphonsushealthsystem.org.