News Releases
CONTACT:
Russell Milligan
773-665-3967
rmilligan2@reshealthcare.org
Scott Shapiro
720-963-6584
sshapiro@healthgrades.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saint Joseph Hospital Earns Top Ranking in Women’s Health Care
One of 16 Illinois hospitals to receive distinction
Chicago, Ill. (July 9, 2009) – A newly released women’s health care study found Saint Joseph Hospital to be among the top hospitals in the nation and state of Illinois.
Saint Joseph ranked among the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for quality patient outcomes in women’s health care, according to the new Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women’s Health in American Hospitals study. The hospitals in the top 5 percent had lower morbidity and complication rates compared to poor-performing hospitals.
With this ranking, Saint Joseph earned the 2009/2010 Women’s Health Excellence Award™ from HealthGrades®, an independent health care ratings company. Saint Joseph was one of 16 hospitals in Illinois and one of 169 hospitals in the nation to receive this award.
“At Saint Joseph Hospital, we understand there are differences in how women and men should be treated for specific medical conditions,” said Ronald E. Struxness, executive vice president and CEO, Saint Joseph Hospital. “This study affirms that women in our community can depend on Saint Joseph for outstanding medical and surgical care – from heart procedures to joint replacement to treatment of pneumonia.”
HealthGrades analyzed the patient outcomes for in-hospital treatment of 16 procedures/diagnoses in women’s health care. Saint Joseph was in the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for 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)
- Women’s bone and joint health (total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, spinal surgeries and hip fracture repair).
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 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.
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).
To review the full study, visit http://sjh.reshealth.org/sub_sjh/about/healthgrades-awards/default.cfm.
# # #
About Saint Joseph Hospital:
Founded in 1868, Saint Joseph Hospital has a long tradition of providing care to the community. The 335-bed full-service hospital on Chicago’s north side specializes in a full array of services, including cardiology, cancer, orthopedics, family medicine, diabetes and behavioral care. The hospital has more than 550 physicians on staff, representing more than 35 specialties. As a community-based teaching facility, Saint Joseph has six residency programs.
In 2009, the hospital received for the sixth year in a row the Stroke Care HealthGrades Specialty Excellence Award, ranking it among the top 5 percent of U.S. hospitals for stroke care. The hospital is also a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care® and is five-star rated in six clinical areas, including cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung disease), heart failure, hip fracture repair, pneumonia and treatment of stroke. For information, visit sjh.reshealth.org/proven.
About Resurrection Health Care:
Ranked in the nation’s top 20 “Best Places to Work in Healthcare” by Modern Healthcare magazine, Resurrection Health Care is a family of health care services providing advanced medical care and exceptional customer service with compassion and hope. Our hospitals, nursing homes, retirement communities, home health services, behavioral health programs and numerous outpatient services are conveniently located in many Chicagoland neighborhoods. Resurrection Health Care is one of the first hospital systems in the nation to receive accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers (SCPC).
Resurrection Health Care Corporation is a not-for-profit Catholic organization sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and the Sisters of the Resurrection.
###
