CONTACT:
Gray Onobrakpeya
Public Relations Coordinator
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8700
717 231-8104 Office
717 231-8985 Fax
gonobrakpeya@pinnaclehealth.org
HARRISBURG, PA— PinnacleHealth has received the highest, five-star rating as one of the nation’s best performing hospitals in maternity care, according to the 2011 Obstetrics and Gynecology in American Hospitals report published today by HealthGrades.
The HealthGrades report evaluated the quality of maternity and gynecological care, over a three year period, in the 19 states where hospital patient outcomes data is publicly available. HealthGrades designated the best performing hospitals in these states as 5-Star rated.
“We are proud of this achievement which now confirms, at the national level, that PinnacleHealth has the busiest and best maternity department in this region,” PinnacleHealth President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael A. Young, FACHE, said.
“This national recognition is especially timely, as our dedicated staff prepare to take the maternity experience to yet another level with the introduction of family-centered maternity care in the coming weeks.” The family-centered maternity model focuses on individualized care by pairing a nurse with each mother, helping her and her baby bond in a personal suite from delivery to discharge.
“Women today have a wide array of options when it comes to reproductive health and choosing a healthcare provider who aligns with their personal preferences,” said Divya Cantor, MD, MBA, and HealthGrades Senior Physician Consultant. “From pregnancy and childbirth to more serious interventions such as hysterectomy, surgeries to treat incontinence, ovarian and other cancers of the reproductive organs, women can optimize their chances for receiving the highest possible quality of care by researching and comparing the clinical outcomes of hospitals and doctors in their area.”
Key findings of the HealthGrades 2011 Obstetrics & Gynecology in American Hospitals report include:
In the 19 states studied, 7% of women undergoing single live born deliveries experience an in-hospital complication. If all hospitals performed at the level of 5-Star rated hospitals in maternity care, 32% of these complications, (141,869), could have been potentially prevented.
In the 19 states studied, 9% of women undergoing gynecologic surgery experienced an in-hospital complication. If all hospitals performed at the level of the best hospitals, 35% of these complications (30,675) could have been potentially prevented.
HealthGrades Hospital Ratings
HealthGrades Obstetrics & Gynecology in American Hospitals report analyzed patient outcome data from the years 2007-2009 for virtually every hospital in the 19 states that make their data available. The state data contained inpatient records for all patients. HealthGrades hospital ratings are independently created; no hospital can opt in or opt out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated. The full methodology and individual hospital ratings can be found at HealthGrades.com. Consumers can search and compare the quality of all hospital maternity and gynecology programs in their community at www.HealthGrades.com
###