Spokane, WA—Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital has been named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by IBM Watson Health. An annual study conducted by Truven Health Analytics, now part of IBM Watson Health, identified the top 50 U.S. hospitals for inpatient cardiovascular services.
The study uses a national scorecard of hospital performance metrics to identify the highest performing cardiovascular service lines in the nation. It is widely regarded as the leading program for evaluating leadership impact in a hospital, as well as for evaluating quality indicators and efficiencies.
The Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study measures key performance areas, including risk-adjusted inpatient mortality, risk-adjusted complications, percentage of coronary bypass patients with internal mammary artery use, 30-day mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, severity-adjusted average length of stay, wage- and severity-adjusted average cost per case and (new this year) CMS 30-day episode payment measures. The study has been conducted annually since 1999.
“This award, and the data that support it, serve as an indication of the excellent cardiovascular services provided at Sacred Heart,” says Braden Batkoff, M.D., executive medical director of Providence Spokane Heart Institute at Sacred Heart. “As a result of this award, and others, patients know they can rely on Sacred Heart not only to provide exceptional care, but to continuously raise the bar on quality,” he adds.
Sacred Heart’s specialized physicians cover every aspect of cardiovascular care, including disorders of the heart, arteries, veins, valves and peripheral blood vessels. Teams of specialists work together in providing every level of pediatric and adult care, from disease management and minimally invasive surgery to heart transplant.
To determine the 50 top U.S. hospitals for heart care, IBM Watson Health researchers analyzed 2015 and 2016 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data, 2016 Medicare cost reports and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare July 1, 2013-June 30, 2016 data.
The study, and subsequent analysis of the positive variances these leading cardiovascular service hospitals show, indicate an opportunity for a broader national impact for cardiovascular patients, should these results be replicated. According to IBM Watson Health, if all cardiovascular providers in the U.S. performed at the level of this year's winners:
- Nearly 8,900 additional lives could be saved
- Nearly 3,700 more bypass and angioplasty patients could be complication-free
- More than $1.4 billion could be saved
More information on this study and other 100 Top Hospitals research is available at 100tophospitals.com.
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital is the second largest hospital in Washington State, with 719 licensed beds, including a 161-bed Children's Hospital with more than 90 pediatric sub-specialists, a Level IV NICU, and pediatric emergency department. The Medical Center features comprehensive cardiac programs, a robotic center for minimally invasive surgery, a certified Stroke Center, inpatient psychiatric care and more. The only Level II Trauma Center in the Inland Northwest, Sacred Heart boasts many services often only found in university settings, including a heart, kidney and pancreas transplant program; a world-class research department, residency programs and more. Its service area extends to about 1.7 million people, and it is Spokane's largest private employer.
About the Author
More Content by Providence News Team
