Sequoia Hospital Recognized for Clinical Excellence
Rated Among Top Five Percent Nationally by HealthGrades
REDWOOD CITY, CA - January 31, 2008 – Sequoia Hospital is one of only 269 hospitals nationwide to receive the 2008 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award™ . Sequoia Hospital has received this distinction for five of the past six years and is in the top 5% for overall clinical quality for the third consecutive year. This distinction is based on an independent study released today by HealthGrades, the leading healthcare ratings company. According to the HealthGrades study, Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence had mortality rates that were, on average, 27 percent lower than other hospitals, and major complication rates that were 5 percent lower.
Each year, HealthGrades conducts the most comprehensive studies of hospital quality in America, producing ratings for every non-federal hospital in 27 diagnoses and procedures. Hospitals that receive the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence are those hospitals that place among the top 5 percent nationally when all 27 ratings are aggregated into a comprehensive score.
“Achieving this award year after year shows our commitment and dedication to providing award-winning care in a community hospital environment,” said Sequoia President Glenna Vaskelis. “I would like to thank our outstanding team of doctors, nurses and staff who have placed Sequoia Hospital among the top five percent nationwide for the third straight year.”
The study also shows that Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence are improving at a greater rate in more procedures and diagnoses than all other hospitals, lowering risk-adjusted mortality rates over the years 2004, 2005, 2006 by an average of 15%.
“Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence like Sequoia Hospital have proven that it is possible to consistently deliver top-notch medical care and they should be recognized for their outstanding achievement,” said Samantha Collier, MD, HealthGrades' chief medical officer.
For its study, HealthGrades analyzed almost 41 million Medicare hospitalization records that cover the latest three-year period, from 2004 to 2006. Because the hospitalization records come from the federal government, no hospital can opt in or out of HealthGrades' rating process. The analysis is risk-adjusted to account for differences in patient populations between hospitals.
HealthGrades found that Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence outperformed all other hospitals across the procedures and diagnoses studied. HealthGrades estimates that 171,424 lives could have been saved and 9,671 post-operative complications could have been avoided over the three years studied if all Medicare patients were treated at Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence.
About Sequoia Hospital
Sequoia Hospital is an accredited, not-for-profit community hospital providing innovative and exceptional healthcare to Bay Area residents. Sequoia, ranked among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide, is a recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical ExcellenceTM, based on a study issued by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings company. Offering a full range of medical, surgical and specialty programs, Sequoia also ranks in the top percentile of hospitals nationwide for patient satisfaction.
“Best in California for Coronary Interventional Procedures” in 2008 is another HealthGrades rating for Sequoia Hospital, which also received the HealthGrades 2008 Cardiac Care Excellence Award and 2008 Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award. To learn more, please visit: www.SequoiaHospital.org
