SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 21, 2014 – Sutter Health’s Sacramento Sierra Region today earned recognition as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems® by Truven Health Analytics. The 15 Top Health Systems study is part of the esteemed 100 Top Hospitals® program at Truven Health Analytics.
“The Truven Health 15 Top Health Systems® study is a real testament to the hard work and compassion of our physicians, nurses, clinical staff and employees,” said Regional President James Conforti. “Recognitions such as this are some of the most meaningful because they signify all the extraordinary work we put into practice that help us enhance the quality and safety of patient care.”
The study gathered data from more than 300 organizations and singled out 15 hospital systems that achieved superior clinical outcomes based on a composite score of eight measures of quality, patient perception of care, and efficiency.
Among the key findings in the Truven Health 15 Top Health Systems study were the following:
Better Survival Rates: The winning 15 top health systems experienced 2-percent fewer deaths than non-winning peer-group hospitals.
Lower 30-Day Mortality Rates: Winning systems’ 30-day mortality rates were lower than peer systems’, and smaller-sized winning systems outperformed their peers by the widest margin.
Fewer Complications: Patients of the winning health systems had 3-percent fewer complications than patients in other systems.
Shorter Hospital Stays: Patients treated in the winning system hospitals had a median average length of stay of 4.5 days, over half a day shorter than their peers’ median of 5.0 days.
Better Patient Safety and Core Measure Adherence: The top health systems had 8-percent fewer adverse patient safety events than expected, given the case mix of the particular hospital, and had better adherence to core measures of care than their peers.
An example of Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region’s work to further improve the quality of care includes the early screening, identification and intervention of sepsis—a serious, and sometimes deadly bloodstream infection. Thanks to a grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, improved processes were identified and implemented across the region’s Emergency Departments, ICUs and other units, which improved patient safety and saved patient lives.
“More than 800 lives have been saved since the inception of our regional efforts,” said John Mesic, M.D., chief medical officer for Sutter Health’s Sacramento Sierra Region. “Best practices like this are shared across our entire Sutter Health network. We work together to provide high-value, quality health care that’s more personalized and human.”
“We are extremely proud of the quality work taking place inside Sutter Health’s Sacramento Sierra Region, as well as across Sutter Health, including the utilization of smartpumps for IV therapy or state-of-the art lifts to transport patients, as well as the reduction of early elective delivery of infants no sooner than 39 weeks – just to name a few,” added Gordon Hunt, M.D., chief medical officer for Sutter Health. “We are building and fortifying a culture centered on the quality and safety of our patients. It’s not just what we do; it is who we are as our network of care.”
Sutter Health’s Sacramento Sierra Region has established a respectable track record when it comes to quality and safety of patient care. Both Sutter Davis Hospital and Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento were named 100 Top Hospitals® by Truven Health Analytics five and four times, respectively. Truven also named Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals twice. Additionally, Sutter Davis Hospital earned the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2013, the nation’s highest presidential honor for performance excellence. Sutter Health’s Sacramento Sierra Region also includes Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, Calif.; Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital in Auburn, Calif.; Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, Calif.; and Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo, Calif.
For more information about the Truven Health 15 Top Health Systems study, its methodology, and other 100 Top Hospitals research is available atwww.100tophospitals.com.
