Spectrum Health Named a Top 15 Health System

Only System in Michigan to Receive This Honor

Spectrum Health was again named one of the nation’s 15 top health systems in an annual study analyzing national health care quality and safety performance. This is the fourth time Spectrum Health has received this honor. In addition, it was the only health system in Michigan to be named in the Truven 15 Top Health Systems® study.

Researchers analyzed the clinical quality and efficiency of more than 340 health systems and 2,841 member hospitals to single out 15 hospital systems that achieved superior clinical outcomes. The ranking is based on a composite score of nine measures of quality, patient perception of care, episodes of illness cost, and efficiency.

“It is an honor when Spectrum Health is recognized as one of the top health systems in the country. To receive this commendation four times is quite an achievement,” said Richard C. Breon, President & CEO, Spectrum Health. “This hard-won recognition is a reflection of the integrated work our hospitals, physicians and health plan is doing across our entire system to improve the health of the communities we serve.”

Public data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) dataset and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare datasets was analyzed by researchers.

Among the key findings in the study were the following:

Lower Cost-Per-Episode: The winning 15 top health systems spent 7 percent less per care episode than non-winning per systems.
Better Survival Rates: The winning systems also experienced 1.2 percent fewer deaths than non-winning, peer-systems.
Fewer Complications: Patients of the winning health systems had 5 percent fewer complications than patients in other systems.
Better Patient Safety and Core Measure Adherence: The top health systems had 10.9 percent better patient safety scorecard, and had better adherence to core measures of care than their peers.

“This year’s health system winners are setting the national standard for higher quality, efficiency and patient perception of care, which together mean higher value for each community served,” said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals® programs at Truven Health Analytics. “These leadership teams are transforming their systems more rapidly than their peers and they are, or stand to become, outstanding partners with employers and other stakeholders in setting goals for improving community health.”

The winning health systems were announced in the April 20th edition of Modern Healthcare magazine. More information on this study and other 100 Top Hospitals research is available at www.100tophospitals.com.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 11 hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 170 ambulatory and service sites; 1,200 physicians and advanced practice providers including members of Spectrum Health Medical Group; and Priority Health, a health plan with more than 600,000 members. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 21,800 employees. The organization provided $294.6 million in community benefit during its 2014 fiscal year. In 2015, Spectrum Health was named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems® by Truven Health Analytics.