In an era where healthcare information is available to patients with just a few clicks of a mouse, awards represent something of a report card that tell not just what we do, but how well we do it. Objective third-party evaluations take into consideration a broad range of factors, and are based on a variety of data and measures.
Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital for 2012
Thomson Reuters again named Gundersen Lutheran among the top hospitals in the nation for cardiovascular care for the 7th time since 1999.
The study shows improved cardiovascular care over the past year with 97% survival of cardiovascular inpatients in U.S. hospitals and about 96% remaining complication-free. The performance of the Top 50 hospitals surpasses even these high-water marks. Compared to other hospitals, the Top 50 have:
23% lower mortality rate for bypass surgery- fewer postoperative complications
- fewer patients readmitted to the hospital after 30 days
- shorter hospital visits and lower costs, discharging bypass patients nearly a full day sooner and spending $4,200 less per bypass case
Comparing the Top 50 to a peer group of hospitals, the study found that if all cardiovascular providers performed at the level of this year’s winners:
- Nearly 7,700 additional lives could be saved
- About 6,500 additional patients could be free of complications
- More than $1 billion could be saved
These statistics are based on analysis of Medicare patients. If the same standards were applied to all inpatients, the impact would be even greater.
HealthGrades®
HealthGrades, one of the leading healthcare ratings organizations in the country, analyzed the nation’s nearly 5,000 non-federal hospitals for their 2011 HealthGrades Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence study. Those who achieved consistent, high-quality care across the board, not just in one or two specialties, received the 2011 HealthGrades’ Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinic Excellence™ for the fourth year in a row (2008-2011). Gundersen Lutheran was one of the 268 hospitals achieving the distinction, placing Gundersen Lutheran among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the nation for clinical quality care for the fourth consecutive year. HealthGrades’ analysis reviewed mortality and complication rates on about 40 million Medicare discharges for 26 distinct medical procedures and diagnoses from three fiscal years (2007, 2008 and 2009).
Gundersen Lutheran Heart:
- HealthGrades 2012 Excellence Awards™ in Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Intervention
- HealthGrades 2012 America’s 100 Best for Specialty Care in Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Intervention
- Top 2 percent in the nation for Cardiac Care, Cardiac Surgery and Coronary Intervention
- Top 5 percent in the nation for Cardiology Services
- Ranked #1 in Wisconsin for Overall Cardiac Services and Cardiology Services
- Ranked #2 in Wisconsin for Cardiac Surgery
- Ranked #3 in Wisconsin for Coronary Interventional Procedures
- Five-star rated for Overall Cardiac Services, Cardiology Services, Cardiac Surgery, Coronary Bypass Surgery, Coronary Interventional Procedures, and Treatment of Heart Attack and Heart Failure
Gundersen Lutheran Vascular Services
- HealthGrades 2012 Excellence Awards™ in Neurosciences and Stroke Care
- Top 5 percent in the nation for Treatment of Stroke
- Among the top 5 in Wisconsin for Neurosciences and Treatment of Stroke
- Five-star rated for Neurosciences, Neurosurgery and Treatment of Stroke
Chest Pain Center accreditation
Gundersen Lutheran Heart Services recently received Chest Pain Center accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC) becoming the only healthcare organization in their service area to have earned this accreditation.
To receive accreditation, Gundersen Lutheran’s heart program was evaluated to ensure integration of best practices in cardiac care and patient outcomes that meet or beat industry standards. Learn more about the Chest Pain Center accreditation.