Regional West receives Healthgrades' patient safety award

Regional West achieved the Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award, a designation that honors hospital performance in the prevention of serious, potentially preventable complications during hospital stays.

The distinction places Regional West among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

On average, 133,896 patient safety events could have been avoided if all hospitals, as a group from 2011 from 2013, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 Patient Safety Indicators evaluated by Healthgrades.

In addition, during this study period, patients treated in hospitals receiving Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:

• 43.9 percent less likely to experience an accidental puncture or laceration during a procedure, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

• 53.6 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

• 47.4 percent less likely to experience catheter-related blood stream infections, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

• 43.8 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

“This designation is very important to Regional West,” said John Mentgen, president and CEO of Regional West Health Services. “Every single employee and provider at Regional West is focused on working to improve patient outcomes, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. We strive to provide a positive patient experience with every patient encounter at Regional West. This recognition is for everyone at Regional West working as a team to provide excellent patient care services.”

“This achievement reflects an organization-wide commitment to delivering high-quality care and to protecting patients from potentially preventable complications,” said Evan Marks, chief strategy officer for Healthgrades.

During the study period (2011-2013), Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals performed with excellence in providing safety for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) for 13 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

“Regional West is always working to improve patient care and patient satisfaction,” said Dr, Jonathan Morgan, Regional West’s chief medical officer. “I am proud to say our entire staff is committed to this effort.”