Healthcare Quality News

Hospitals rated in the top 5% in the nation by HealthGrades have a 29% lower risk-adjusted mortality rate and are improving their clinical quality at a faster pace than other hospitals, according to a new study by HealthGrades.

The HealthGrades study also shows:

• In addition to having lower risk-adjusted mortality rates, hospitals in the top 5% also had risk-adjusted complication rates that were 9% lower than all other hospitals
• Thirty-six states have one or more hospitals in the top 5%
• 150,132 patient deaths among Medicare patients may have been prevented and 13,104 inhospital complications among Medicare patients may have been avoided if all hospitals performed at the level of the top 5% of hospitals
• The top 5% of hospitals showed greater overall improvement in risk-adjusted mortality from 2006 through 2008

(SOURCES: Advisory Board Daily Briefing, http://advisory.com, February 4, 2010; HealthGrades.com, http://healthgrades.com)