Of all the hospitals in America, which ones are best? According to a new study, 229 hospitals stand out, earning a “Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence.”
The awards come from HealthGrades (search), an independent organization focused on health care quality. For the third straight year, HealthGrades has identified the top five percent of U.S. hospitals for clinical quality.
Nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide were considered. The rankings are based on death and complication rates of Medicare patients hospitalized from 2001-2003 for 28 common procedures and diagnoses including heart attack, stroke, heart bypass, pneumonia, hip replacement, gastrointestinal problems, and back and neck surgery.
For four of the most common conditions and treatments — heart attack, stroke, community acquired pneumonia, and heart bypass surgery — survival rates were 12-20 percent better at the distinguished hospitals than at an average American hospital.
Here’s how those survival rates compared:
—Stroke: 15.4 percent better at awarded hospitals
—Community-acquired pneumonia: 19.55 percent better at awarded hospitals
—Coronary (heart) bypass surgery: 15.3 percent better at awarded hospitals
—Heart attack: 12.6 percent better at awarded hospitals
The heart attack rate was based on hospitals using angioplasty (search) and stent treatments to reopen blood vessels.
Life-And-Death Implications
To put those percentages in real-world terms, imagine an average-sized crowd at an NFL football game — nearly 53,000 people. That’s how many lives could have been saved if all Medicare patients hospitalized for those four problems had gone to top-ranked hospitals, says HealthGrades.
Distinguished hospitals treated more Medicare patients than average hospitals. Their Medicare patients were often in worse condition than those at average hospitals. The awards included 126 teaching hospitals, which have at least one resident or were connected to an approved medical teaching program for at least one year of the study.
Best, Worst Regions
Geography mattered. Some regions had an abundance of awarded hospitals, while some states had none.
The Great Lakes region had the highest concentration of top-ranked hospitals, based on the 2000 U.S. census. There was one distinguished hospital for every 773,181 residents in that region, which included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
The Sunbelt was a close second. Like the Great Lakes area, it had 72 distinguished hospitals, but the Sunbelt’s larger population meant more patients per hospital. The Sunbelt states were Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Third place went to the Northeast, with 36 distinguished hospitals. The Northeast included Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
The Great Plains region had 30 awarded hospitals. Those states were Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.
The West Coast had the lowest concentration of top-ranked hospitals. In those states — Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington — there was one awarded hospital per almost 3 million people.
Florida and the Upper Great Lakes had the highest per-capita number of distinguished hospitals. Washington, Georgia, and Massachusetts had the lowest per-capita figures.
Here is a list of the top hospitals by state:
Alabama
Riverview Regional MediCalif.l Center, Gadsden, Ala.
Arizona
Del E Webb Memorial Hospital, Sun City West, Ariz.
Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix
Scottsdale HealthCalif.re Shea, Scottsdale, Ariz.
California
Cedars Sinai MediCalif.l Center, Los Angeles
Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles
Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Glendale, Calif.
St Johns Hospital Health Center, Santa Monica, Calif.
Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego
Methodist Hospital Of Southern California, Arcadia, Calif.
Encino Tarzana Regional MediCalif.l Center - Tarzana Campus, Tarzana, Calif.
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, Chula Vista, Calif.
Huntington Memorial Hospital, Pasadena, Calif.
El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, Calif.
Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Glendale, Calif.
Colorado
Centura Health Porter Adventist Hospital, Denver
Penrose - St Francis Health Services, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Connecticut
Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn.
Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Conn.
Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, Conn.
William W Backus Hospital, Norwich, Conn.
District of Columbia
Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington, D.C.
Florida
Delray Medical Center, Delray Beach, Fla.
Central Florida Regional Hospital, Sanford, Fla.
Flagler Hospital, Saint Augustine, Fla.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota, Fla.
University Hospital and Medical Center, Tamarac, Fla.
Martin Memorial Medical Center, Stuart, Fla.
Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Fla.
St. Joseph Hospital Port Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Fla.
Holmes Regional Medical Center, Melbourne, Fla.
Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater, Fla.
Ocala Regional Medical Center, Ocala, Fla.
Mease Hospital Countryside, Safety Harbor, Fla.
Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, Fort Pierce, Fla.
Brandon Regional Hospital, Brandon, Fla.
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, Hudson, Fla.
Cedars Medical Center Inc., Miami, Fla.
Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Lakeland, Fla.
Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boynton Beach, Fla.
Jupiter Medical Center Inc., Jupiter, Fla.
Florida Hospital - Ormond Memorial/Oceanside, Ormond Beach, Fla.
Oak Hill Hospital, Spring Hill, Fla.
Halifax Medical Center, Daytona Beach, Fla.
Baptist Hospital of Miami Inc., Miami
Florida Hospital Heartland Division, Sebring, Fla.
Community Hospital of New Port Richey, New Port Richey, Fla.
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Sarasota, Fla.
Bay Medical Center, Panama City, Fla.
Northside Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Fla.
Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
St Josephs Hospital, Tampa, Fla.
Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital, Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Saint Lucie Medical Center, Port Saint Lucie, Fla.
Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala, Fla.
St Vincents Medical Center Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
Charlotte Regional Medical Center, Punta Gorda, Fla.
Naples Community Hospital Inc., Naples, Fla.
Boca. Raton Community Hospital Inc., Boca Raton, Fla.
Fawcett Memorial Hospital, Port Charlotte, Fla.
Blake Medical Center, Bradenton, Fla.
JFK Medical Center Center, Atlantis, Fla.
Westside Regional Medical Center, Plantation, Fla.
Putnam Community Medical Center, Palatka, Fla.
Mease Hospital Dunedin, Dunedin, Fla.
Florida Medical Center, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
South Bay Hospital, Sun City Center, Fla.
Georgia
Saint Josephs Hospital of Atlanta, Atlanta
Iowa
St. Lukes Hospital, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, Mason City, Iowa
Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa
Illinois
Rush North Shore Medical Center, Skokie, Ill.
St. Francis Hospital and Health Center, Blue Island, Ill.
Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Elk Grove Village, Ill.
Advocate South Suburban Hospital, Hazel Crest, Ill.
Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, Ill.
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, Ill.
Memorial Hospital, Belleville, Ill.
Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, Evanston, Ill.
Little Company of Mary Hospital, Evergreen Park, Ill.
Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey, Ill.
St. Francis Hospital of Evanston, Evanston, Ill.
Northwest Community Hospital, Arlington Heights, Ill.
Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, Ill.
Sherman Hospital, Elgin, Ill.
Indiana
Saint Johns Health System, Anderson, Ind.
Community Hospital East/ North, Indianapolis
Community Hospital, Munster, Ind.
St. Vincent Hospital and Health Services, Indianapolis
Clarian Health Partners Inc., Indianapolis
Lutheran Hospital of Indiana, Fort Wayne, Ind.
St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers, Beech Grove, Ind.
Kentucky
Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, Ky.
St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Covington, Ky.
Jewish Hospital, Louisville, Ky.
Caritas Medical Center, Louisville, Ky.
Louisiana
St Francis Medical Center, Monroe, La.
Willis Knighton Bossier Health Center, Bossier City, La.
Rapides Regional Medical Center, Alexandria, La.
Glenwood Regional Medical Center, West Monroe, La.
Massachusetts
Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
Maryland
Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore, Md.
Franklin Square Hospital, Baltimore, Md.
Washington Adventist Hospital, Takoma Park, Md.
Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, Md.
Suburban Hospital Association, Bethesda, Md.
Sinai Hospital, Baltimore, Md.
Washington County Hospital, Hagerstown, Md.
Northwest Hospital Center, Randallstown, Md.
Doctor's Community Hospital, Lanham, Md.
Montgomery General Hospital Inc., Olney, Md.
Michigan
William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich.
Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, Dearborn, Mich.
Bon Secours Hospital, Grosse Pointe, Mich.
Munson Medical Center, Traverse City, Mich.
St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia, Mich.
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Pontiac, Mich.
St. Josephs Mercy Hospital and Health Services, Clinton Township, Mich.
Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Wyandotte, Mich.
Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, Mich.
Spectrum Health Hospitals, Grand Rapids, Mich.
St. John Macomb Hospital, Warren, Mich.
Harper University Hospital, Detroit
St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit
MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, Midland, Mich.
Crittenton Hospital, Rochester Hills, Mich.
Minnesota
Abbott Northwestern Hospital Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.
St. Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minn.
St. Marys Medical Center, Duluth, Minn.
United Hospitals Inc., Saint Paul, Minn.
Mercy Hospital, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Healtheast St. John's Hospital, Maplewood, Minn.
Missouri
St Luke's Episcopal-Presbyterian Hospital, Chesterfield, Mo.
Heartland Regional Medical Center, Saint Joseph, Mo.
St. Lukes Hospital of Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.
St. Joseph Health Center, Saint Charles, Mo.
S S M Depaul Health Center, Bridgeton, Mo.
Montana
Deaconess Billings Clinic, Billings, Mont.
Benefis Healthcare, Great Falls, Mont.
North Carolina
Lenoir Memorial Hospital, Kinston, N.C.
Rex Hospital, Raleigh, N.C.
Mission St. Joseph's Health System - Mission Campus, Asheville, N.C.
Firsthealth Moore Regional Hospital, Pinehurst, N.C.
Nebraska
BryanLGH MediCalif.l Center East, Lincoln, Neb.
New Jersey
Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood, N.J.
Community Medical Center, Toms River, N.J.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, N.J.
Hackensack University Medical, Hackensack, N.J.
Centrastate Medical Center, Freehold, N.J.
Holy Name Hospital, Teaneck, N.J.
New York
Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ellis Hospital, Schenectady, N.Y.
Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, N.Y.
Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, N.Y.
Ohio
Christ Hospital, Cincinnati
Hillcrest Hospital, Mayfield Heights, Ohio
Summa Health System, Akron, Ohio
Akron General Medical Center, Akron, Ohio
Marymount Hospital, Garfield Heights, Ohio
Deaconess Hospital, Cincinnati
Parma Community General Hospital, Parma, Ohio
E M H Regional Medical Center, Elyria, Ohio
Southwest General Health Center, Middleburg Heights, Ohio
Meridia Euclid Hospital, Euclid, Ohio
University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland
Community Health Partners Of Oh West, Lorain, Ohio
Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland
Fort Hamilton Hughes Memorial Hospital, Hamilton, Ohio
Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
Fairview Hospital, Cleveland
St. John West Shore Hospital, Westlake, Ohio
Grandview Hospital and Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio
St. Elizabeth Health Center, Youngstown, Ohio
Mercy Medical Center of Springfield, Springfield, Ohio
Jewish Hospital, Cincinnati
Good Samaritan Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
Mercy Hospital Anderson, Cincinnati
Oklahoma
Deaconess Hospital, Oklahoma City
Oregon
Mercy Medical Center Inc., Roseburg, Ore.
Pennsylvania
Mercy Hospital, Scranton, Pa.
Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, Pa.
Hamot Medical Center, Erie, Pa.
Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pa.
York Hospital, York, Pa.
St. Lukes Hospital, Bethlehem, Pa.
Main Line Hospitals Inc. Lankenau, Wynnewood, Pa.
Easton Hospital, Easton, Pa.
Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia
Doylestown Hospital, Doylestown, Pa.
South Dakota
Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Tennessee
Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Texas
Good Shepherd Medical Center, Longview, Texas
Mc Allen Heart Hospital, Mc Allen, Texas
Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Christus Santa Rosa Hospital, San Antonio, Texas
Memorial Medical Center of East Texas, Lufkin, Texas
Memorial Hospital System, Houston, Texas
St. Davids Hospital, Austin, Texas
Bayshore Medical in Pasadena, Pasadena, Texas
Covenant Health System, Lubbock, Texas
Rio Grande Regional Hospital, Mc Allen, Texas
Seton Medical Center, Austin, Texas
St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital, Houston
South Austin Hospital, Austin, Texas
Texoma Medical Center, Denison, Texas
Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial, Corpus Christi, Texas
Laredo Medical Center, Laredo, Texas
Utah
LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City
St. Marks Hospital, Salt Lake City
Virginia
Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Va.
Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Va.
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, Norfolk, Va.
Virginia Baptist Hospital and Lynchburg General, Lynchburg, Va.
Chesapeake General Hospital, Chesapeake, Va.
Sentara Leigh Hospital, Norfolk, Va.
C J W Medical Center, Richmond, Va.
Winchester Medical Center Inc., Winchester, Va.
Inova Alexandria Hospital, Alexandria, Va.
Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Salem, Va.
Henrico Doctors Hospital Forest Calmpus/ Parham Campus, Richmond, Va.
Augusta Medical Center, Fishersville, Va.
Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical, Mechanicsville, Va.
Washington
Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle
Wisconsin
Theda Clark Memorial Hospital, Neenah, Wis.
Wausau Hospital, Wausau, Wis.
West Virginia
Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, W. Va.
United Hospital Center, Clarksburg, W. Va.
States Without Top-Ranked Hospitals
The 16 states without top-ranked hospitals were:
Alaska
Arkansas
Delaware
Hawaii
Idaho
Kansas
Maine
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New Mexico
Nevada
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
Wyoming
By Miranda Hitti, reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
SOURCES: HealthGrades, “The Third Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality and Clinical Excellence Study,” Jan. 24, 2005. News release, HealthGrades.
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