HealthGrades Names OMHS #1 in Kentucky for Neurosciences, treatment of stroke, and Cardiac Care

Owensboro, KY (Oct. 18, 2011) – A report released today by HealthGrades, a leading independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes, named Owensboro Medical Health System number one in Kentucky for neurosciences and treatment of stroke. OMHS also received the two following designations:

• One of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care
• One of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care

OMHS is also #1 in Kentucky for cardiac care, cardiology, and coronary interventional procedures and the top ranked hospital in the state for: 1) joint replacement surgery, such as total knee replacements; 2) critical care, which includes treating high acuity patients with diagnoses such as sepsis (infection of the blood) and respiratory failure; 3) cardiac care; and 4) medical treatment of gastrointestinal issues, such as bowel obstruction. 

Choosing a hospital can be a life or death decision. HealthGrades report found that patients treated at five-star rated hospitals experience a 73 percent lower risk of mortality and a 63 percent lower risk of complications.

“The ratings we received reflect the continual and careful and thoughtful processes that include following evidence-based care and other quality measures undertaken by our hospital,” said Catharine Schmitt, MD, chief of medical staff at Owensboro Medical Health System.

“Patients today have a wide array options when it comes to choosing a healthcare provider,” said Kerry Hicks, HealthGrades chief executive officer. “At HealthGrades, we are proud to have led the way for empowering patient choice based on objective clinical outcomes and access to actionable quality measures. We commend Owensboro Medical Health System for its superior quality and support of consumerism and transparency.”

Key findings of the HealthGrades 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America report include:

Patients, on average, were 63 percent less likely to experience inhospital complications than patients at one-star programs, and had a 43 percent lower chance of developing an in-hospital complication than the national average.

If all Medicare patients from 2008 through 2010 had been treated at five-star hospitals, 240,040 lives could have potentially been saved.

In an online survey, 42 percent of HealthGrades visitors said that they believe their chances of experiencing an unexpected death or complication is higher in some hospitals in their community compared to others.

About OMHS

Owensboro Medical Health System serves an 11-county region in western Kentucky and southern Indiana. The hospital has received awards for clinical excellence (2009, 2010, 2011), patient safety (2010) and outstanding patient experience (2010) from HealthGrades, placing it among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for quality. Cooperative Health Services, an affiliate of OMHS, also operates the HealthPark—a medical-based fitness center—and a number of clinics and diagnostic centers in Beaver Dam and Madisonville (KY) and Tell City (IN) as well as The Clinic at Wal-Mart  in Owensboro, Henderson (KY) and Newburgh (IN).

About HealthGrades

HealthGrades is an independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes. HealthGrades online properties are the nation's leading destination for physician search and empower more than 170 million consumers annually to make informed health care decisions.