Franciscan St. Francis Health cardiac program named No. 1 in Indiana; ranks high nationally

HealthGrades report: Hospital’s cardiac program also receives Five-Star ratings in clinical outcomes

INDIANAPOLIS – A report released today (Oct. 18) touts Franciscan St. Francis Health–Indianapolis for its superior patient clinical outcomes by naming it among the top 5 percent in the nation for overall cardiac services, cardiology services, valve repair and replacement surgery, and coronary interventional procedures.

That’s the assessment of an extensive study conducted by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading health care rating organization. The HealthGrades study annually assesses patient outcomes – mortality and complication rates – at virtually all of the nation’s nearly 5,000 non-federal hospitals.

Choosing a hospital can be a life or death decision. Nationally, the HealthGrades report found that patients treated at 5-star rated hospitals experience a 73 percent lower risk of mortality and a 63 percent lower risk of complications compared to 1-star rated hospitals. A quality comparison of doctors and hospitals in Marion County and the Greater Indianapolis market area can be found online at HealthGrades.com.

“St. Francis Heart Center physicians, surgeons, nurses and support staff continually work to improve clinical processes while using their extensive knowledge, experience and skills to ensure better outcomes and superior care for our patients,” said Robert. J. Brody, president and chief executive officer for Franciscan St. Francis. “Their hard work has resulted in one of the most robust and respected cardiac programs in Indiana and the nation.”

Additional HealthGrades Clinical Achievements:

· Nationally, received Five-Star ratings for overall cardiac services, cardiology services, valve repair and replacement surgery, coronary interventional procedures, treatment of heart attack in 2012, and for treatment of heart failure for five consecutive years (2008-2012)

· In Indiana, No. 1 for overall cardiac services and ranked among the top five for cardiac surgery, cardiology services and coronary interventional procedures.

· Franciscan St. Francis also was named one of HealthGrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care and Coronary Intervention and Excellence Awards in those two areas.

“Patients today have a wide array of options when it comes to choosing a healthcare provider,” said Kerry Hicks, HealthGrades chief executive officer. “At HealthGrades, we are proud to have led the way for empowering patient choice based on objective clinical outcomes and access to actionable quality measures. We commend Franciscan St. Francis Health-Indianapolis for its superior quality and support of consumerism and transparency in Marion County.”

What the ratings mean

HealthGrades’ hospital ratings and awards reflect the track record of patient outcomes at hospitals’ mortality and complication rates. HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated.

Hospitals receiving a Five-Star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average to a statistically significant degree. A Three-Star rating means the hospital performs as expected. One-Star ratings indicate the hospital’s mortality or complication rates in that procedure or treatment are statistically higher than average.

Because the risk profiles of patient populations at hospitals are not alike, HealthGrades risk-adjusts the data to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons.

More information on today’s HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com.