Capital Medical Center

National Study of Patient Outcomes in 5,000 Hospitals Puts Capital Medical Center Among the Best

OLYMPIA, WA (October 13, 2009) – Capital Medical Center is ranked #1 in Washington for Overall Orthopedic Services (2010). In addition, they rank among the top 10% in the nation for Overall Orthopedic Services for the 4th year in a row (2007-2010) by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization, as part of a national study of patient outcomes in the nation’s 5,000 nonfederal hospitals. The study found that 5-star-rated hospitals had, on average, an 80% lower rate of complications than hospitals rated by HealthGrades as 1-star.

Capital’s outstanding quality of care in orthopedics was further acknowledged when it was named Recipient of the HealthGrades Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award and the Joint Replacement Excellence Award, both for the 4th straight year (2007-2010).

In achieving these distinctions Capital was also ranked among the top 10% in the nation for Joint Replacement for the 4th year in a row (2007-2010). Joseph Sharp, Chief Executive Officer, said, “Capital Medical Center is very proud of achieving the honor of #1 ranked hospital in Washington for Overall Orthopedic Services. Our orthopedic surgeons along with each employee at Capital Medical Center have contributed to the success of our orthopedic program. This award is truly a team effort. We take pride in our mission to provide high-quality care to the community we serve.”

A wide variation in quality exists among American hospitals, according to the twelfth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study. Patients were 80 percent less likely to experience a major complication in 5-star rated hospitals when compared with 1-star rated hospitals across a range of procedures studied such as knee replacement and hip replacement surgeries. Top-performing hospitals also dramatically outperformed the national average, with patients experiencing, on average, 61 percent fewer inhospital complications among the procedures studied.

Over the years, Capital Medical Center maintains an environment that focuses on excellence in orthopedic services to include a joint and spine care program involving a team of orthopedic surgeons, nurses, educators, and therapists. We attribute the success to our “patient team” approach to education, treatment and recovery expectations. Our surgical suites with the latest technology, and rehab activities focus on wellness and positive outcomes that result in a healthier lifestyle after surgery.

The study also found that if all hospitals performed at the level of a 5-star rated hospital, 110,687 orthopedic inhospital complications may have been avoided among Medicare patients over the three years studied. Capital Medical Center’s commitment to delivering quality care to the Olympia region was noted in its 5-Star ratings and rankings in Orthopedic Services:

• 5-Star Rated for Overall Orthopedic Services 4 years in a row (2007-2010)
  
• 5-Star Rated for Joint Replacement 4 years in a row (2007-2010)
  
• Ranked among the Top 5 in WA for Joint Replacement 2010
  
• 5-Star Rated for Spine Surgery 5 years in a row (2006-2010)
  
• 5-Star Rated for Total Knee Replacement 4 years in a row (2007-2010)
  
• 5-Star Rated for Total Hip Replacement 4 years in a row (2007-2010)
  
• 5-Star Rated for Back & Neck Surgery with Spinal Fusion 8 years in a row (2003-2010)

HealthGrades Ratings
The HealthGrades study, the largest annual report of its kind, analyzed patient outcomes in nearly 40 million Medicare hospitalization records from 5,000 hospitals over the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. HealthGrades’ hospital ratings and awards reflect the track record of patient outcomes at hospitals in the form of mortality and complication rates. HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated. For 28 procedures and treatments, HealthGrades issues star ratings that reflect the mortality and complication rates for each category of care. Hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average, to a statistically significant degree. A 3-star rating means the hospital performs as expected. One-star ratings indicate the hospital’s mortality or complication rates in that procedure or treatment are statistically higher than average. Because the risk profiles of patient populations at hospitals are not alike, HealthGrades risk-adjusts the data to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons. More information on today’s HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com.