Information about the quality of care provided at Providence hospitals is available on a new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) consumer web site at www.HospitalCompare.hhs.gov. Providence supports the sharing of patient care measurement data with consumers as part of its commitment to improve quality of care and patient safety. The site, called "Hospital Compare," provides information on the quality of care at nearly 4,000 hospitals across the nation that have volunteered to report their data for 17 clinical measurements in the areas of heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. These three medical conditions are the three most common among the Medicare population. The data currently on the site is for the first six months of 2004. Since then, Providence has made progress on improving quality and our current measures are better than those posted on the CMS web site. For example, Providence hospitals have made improvements in heart attack care, especially those measures for rapid treatment as patients arrive at the hospital. Treatments - such as Beta Blocker drugs and Aspirin at Arrival - is currently provided to more than 90 percent of these patients at Providence hospitals. In addition, Providence hospitals have also improved the rapid treatment of the most critically ill heart attack patients who need an Angioplasty (PTCA ) procedure to open their heart blood vessel. In our hospitals that provide this treatment, 68 percent of these patients were treated in less than 90 minutes during the fourth quarter of 2004; this ranks near the top 10 percent of all hospitals across the country. Work to improve the quality of care occurs at many levels within Providence, including the hospital and system levels. For example, at the system level, quality leaders implement a Quality Strategic plan that includes goals for improvement based on national benchmark levels and tracking the achievement of those goals. In addition, at each of the Providence hospitals, committees meet regularly to review clinical quality measures and implement action plans to achieve improvement goals. The Hospital Boards also review and track progress. All of this focus on improving quality is an important part of fulfilling our mission.
|
