Study: Patients at Five-Star Rated Hospitals Have, on Average, a 65 Percent Lower Chance of Developing Major Complications Than At One-Star Hospitals
HIALEAH, FL -- Hialeah Hospital announced today that it has been recognized with a five-star rating for clinical excellence in bariatric surgery from HealthGrades, the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization.
In the Third Annual HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Trends in American Hospitals Study, Hialeah Hospital ranked in the top five percent in the nation for bariatric surgery, which includes gastric bypass and laparoscopic procedures.
Additionally, Hialeah Hospital is a recipient of the HealthGrades 2008-09 Bariatric Surgery Excellence Awardª.
According to the study, large quality gaps existed between the "best" and the "worst" hospitals across most bariatric procedures studied. Bariatric surgery patients at top-rated hospitals have, on average, a 65 percent lower chance of experiencing major complications that at poor-performing hospitals, HealthGrades found.
The HealthGrades study analyzed the outcomes of 154,451 bariatric inpatient surgery procedures performed in 680 hospitals in 17 states from 2004 through 2006. A significant correlation between the number of surgeries performed and quality was indentified. Five-star hospitals performed almost twice the volume of procedures compared to one-star rated hospitals.
Average mortality rates were low across the board, but the average mortality rate in five star-rated facilities was almost half the rate of all other U.S. hospitals.
Hialeah Hospital is one of 93 hospitals nationally to receive a five-star rating from HealthGrades. If all hospitals performed at a five-star level 5,125 patients could have avoided one or more inhospital complications.
Complications associated with bariatric surgery include heart attack, kidney failure, stroke and post-surgical infections.
Extreme obesity is a growing epidemic and major public health problem in America that contributes to additional serious health risks. The American Society for Bariatric Surgery estimates that such surgeries have increased 1,431 percent in the last decade to more than 250,000 annually.
For its 2008/2009 bariatric surgery ratings, HealthGrades independently analyzed the quality of care at hospitals in the 17 states that publish outcomes data, objectively assessing their clinical performance and quality. HealthGrades risk-adjusted the data to account for hospitals with differing patient populations.
¥ 93 hospitals stand out as "best" performers (5-star rated)
¥ 263 hospitals were rated as "as expected" performers (3-star rated)
¥ 99 hospitals were rated as "poor" performers (1-star rated)
"Interestingly, hospitals that rated highest in the HealthGrades study performed about twice as many procedures as other hospitals, demonstrating that volume can correlate with quality," said Rick May, MD, a senior physician consultant with HealthGrades and an author of the study.
"Thus it is vitally important for patients to carefully research the clinical quality of bariatric surgery providers before seeking care."
HealthGrades bariatric surgery ratings are published on the Web, free of charge, at www.healthgrades.com.
Ratings for 27 other medical procedures and diagnoses--including cardiac, pulmonary, vascular, stroke, orthopedics, critical care, and gastrointestinal procedures and treatments--are also available on the HealthGrades Web site.
About Hialeah Hospital
Hialeah Hospital, part of Tenet's Florida region, is a 378-bed acute care hospital located at 651 East 25th Street in Hialeah.
The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of central to north Miami-Dade County since 1951. Hialeah Hospital offers a broad range of health care services, including 24-hour emergency care, cardiology, neurosurgery, obstetrics, a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, laboratory, a surgical weight loss program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, a sleep disorders program, and a complement of imaging services.
Hialeah Hospital has earned a five-star rating and is ranked among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades, a health care quality ratings company. Hialeah Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.