National Study Names Spectrum Health Among 100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals

A recent study has recognized Spectrum Health as one of the best cardiovascular hospitals in the country.

Spectrum Health was named in the ninth edition of the Thomson 100 Top Hospitals’: Cardiovascular Benchmarks for Success study, which identifies industry benchmarks by recognizing U.S. heart hospitals that demonstrate superior performance.

This is the seventh year in a row and eighth year overall that Spectrum Health has been recognized as a top cardiovascular hospital in the U.S. The results were published in the November 19 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine.
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“To consistently earn this award shows we’ve established ourselves as a national leader in cardiovascular care,” said Spectrum Health Grand Rapids President Matthew Van Vranken. “Eight years of recognition means we continue to focus on high-quality care and advanced treatments. This award underscores the quality and value of our heart-related services, and is a tremendous reflection on the fine physicians and staff at Spectrum Health.”

The annual Thomson Healthcare (formerly Solucient) award is based on hospitals’ performance treating congestive heart failure and heart attacks. Thomson100 Top Hospitals’: Cardiovascular Benchmarks for Success uses data from publicly available Medicare MedPAR data and Medicare cost reports.

Thomson Healthcare scored facilities in eight key performance areas: risk-adjusted medical mortality, risk-adjusted surgical mortality, risk-adjusted complications, core measures score, percentage of CABG patients with internal mammary artery use, procedure volume, severity-adjusted average length of stay, and wage- and severity-adjusted average cost.

Among the key findings:

If all cardiovascular hospitals achieved the same results as the 100 Top Hospitals award winners, more than 7,000 lives would be saved and nearly 750 medical complications would be avoided annually.
The award winners reported hospital stays that were 12 percent shorter, on average, than peer hospitals (5.14 days compared with 5.85 days).
The 100 Top Hospitals reported costs that averaged 13 percent – or about $2,000 – less per case than peer hospitals.
There was a significant difference in the volume of heart procedures performed by the winning hospitals and their peers. The 100 Top Hospitals performed nearly two-thirds more coronary artery bypass grafts and percutaneous coronary interventions such as angioplasty than peer hospitals.

“These winning hospitals bring great value to their communities,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs in the Center for Healthcare Improvement, Thomson Healthcare. “They have set national benchmarks for clinical process, outcomes, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals, more than 140 service sites and 560,000-member health plan, Priority Health.’ Spectrum Health’s 14,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care to those in medical need.’ The organization provided $98.6 million in community benefit during its 2007 fiscal year. Spectrum Health has earned more than 50 national awards during the past 10 years.