Published: October 17, 2008 11:54 pm      

Memorial's cardiac program lauded

Patients with heart disease have a better chance of living if they are treated in Memorial Medical Center’s cardiac program, a national health-care consulting group reports.

The heart program at Memorial received high marks this week from HealthGrades of Golden, Colo., which also released a study showing death rates were up to 70 percent lower in top-rated hospitals.

HealthGrades announced that Memorial will receive 2009 Excellence awards in cardiac care, cardiac surgery and coronary intervention.

The 11th annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study shows patients have a 70 percent lower chance of dying at the nation’s top-rated hospitals than at the lowest-rated hospitals.

The study looked at mortality for 17 procedures and conditions.

“While overall death rates declined from 2005 to 2007, the nation’s best-performing hospitals were able to reduce their death rates at a much faster rate than poorly performing hospitals,” the study concludes, noting there are large state, regional and hospital-to-hospital variations in patient care quality.

Memorial is rated in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationally and is one of the top five Pennsylvania hospitals for overall cardiac care, cardiac surgery, cardiology services and coronary intervention procedures, receiving five-star ratings in the same four categories, plus coronary bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery and treatment of heart failure. It received the highest possible ranking for treatment of heart attack.

Elsewhere, Memorial received three five-star ratings in orthopedics, two in pulmonary care, two in critical care and one for prostatectomy. It is ranked in the state’s top 10 hospitals for joint replacement, pulmonary care and critical care.

In February, Memorial received a 2008 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital award for clinical excellence.

“We are honored to receive this latest recognition from HealthGrades,” said Dr. David Carlson, chief medical officer for Conemaugh Health System. “We monitor reporting resources such as HealthGrades very closely to ensure that our level of care is outstanding.”