September 15, 2011

Avera Hospitals Earn ‘Top Performer on Key Quality Measures’ Recognition from The Joint Commission

Two Avera Hospitals have been named in the nation’s top performers for key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell and Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls are recognized by the Joint Commission based on data reported about evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and children’s asthma.

Avera Queen of Peace Hospital and Avera Heart Hospital are two of only 405 U.S. hospitals and critical access hospitals earning the distinction of top performer on key quality measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Inclusion on the list is based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the previous calendar year. For example, this first recognition program is based on data reported for 2010.

“We are proud of our partners at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, and honored that our efforts to offer our patient’s the best possible outcomes, in cardiovascular care, are being recognized at a national level. This is a reflection of our staff and physicians’ dedication to improved outcomes through evidence-based care processes,” said Jon Soderholm, President and CEO of the Avera Heart Hospital.

To be recognized as a top performer on key quality measures an organization must meet 95 percent performance thresholds. Nationally 3,099 hospitals submit data to The Joint Commission for process measures related to heart failure, heart attack, pneumonia and certain populations of surgical patients. Data such as appropriate medication administration, discharge education and antibiotic selection and timing are all examples of performance measures The Joint Commission uses to recognize top performing hospitals.

Avera Queen of Peace Hospital was recognized for achieving these thresholds for pneumonia and surgical care and Avera Heart Hospital was recognized for achieving these thresholds for heart attack, heart failure and surgical care.

“Avera Queen of Peace Hospital has been continuously accredited by The Joint Commission since it was established in 1951, and over the years we have found their review process to be immensely helpful as we strive for excellence in performance,” according to Tom Clark, President and CEO, Avera Queen of Peace Hospital. Clark continued, “Achieving performance of 95% or above means that no less than 95% of the time the Avera Heart Hospital and Avera Queen of Peace met the opportunity to provide evidence-based practices. For example, evidence-based practices include things as simple as giving an aspirin before and after a patient arrives for heart attack, or giving antibiotics before surgery. This Joint Commission Top Performer award is really earned by the staff who care for the patients at the Avera Heart Hospital and Avera Queen of Peace Hospital on a daily basis and our physician partners who are actively engaged in delivering the highest level of care available.”

“Today, the public expects transparency in the reporting of performance at the hospitals where they receive care, and The Joint Commission is shining a light on the top performing hospitals that have achieved excellence on a number of vital measures of quality of care,” says Mark Chassin, MD, president, The Joint Commission.

This is the first time The Joint Commission is recognizing accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals that attain and sustain excellence in accountability measure performance.

About Avera Queen of Peace Hospital

Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, 525 North Foster, Mitchell, SD, is a 120 bed, acute care, JCAHO certified regional medical center serving an 11 county area. The facility, built as St. Joseph Hospital in 1906, has experienced periodic construction and remodeling; 1994 construction resulted in a $15 million addition; in 2000 we opened a $5 million Cancer Center and Physicians Plaza; and a $6 million hospital remodeling and addition in 2006. Avera Queen of Peace Hospital is a member of the Avera Health System and is sponsored by the Presentation and Benedictine Sisters.

About Avera Heart Hospital

The Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota is the region's first and only hospital dedicated solely to the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The Avera Heart Hospital has been recognized as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Thomson Reuters. By focusing on the nation's number one killer, patients receive the benefits of advanced technology and personalized services focused on their individual needs. The hospital is a cooperative venture between Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center and North Central Heart Institute.