HealthGrades Names West Jefferson Medical Center Among Top 10% in Nation for Neurosurgery in 2012

A report released today by HealthGrades, the nation’s most trusted, independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings, ranked West Jefferson Medical Center among the top 5 hospitals in Louisiana for Spine Surgery, Neurosciences and Neurosurgery in 2012. Choosing a hospital can be a life or death decision. HealthGrades report found that patients treated at 5-star rated hospitals experience a 73% lower risk of mortality and a 63% lower risk of complications compared to 1-star rated hospitals. A quality comparison of doctors and hospitals in New Orleans can be found online at HealthGrades.com; www.topcities.healthgrades.com/ratings/neworleans-la.

"Our community hospital is very honored to once again be named by HealthGrades in its annual quality awards," said West Jefferson Medical Center’s CEO, Nancy R. Cassagne. "We are proud of the prestigious distinctions for our neurosurgery and orthopedic programs. These are a credit to West Jefferson Medical Center's commitment to quality care. In addition, the distinctive rankings are a snapshot of the fine work being done by our doctors and staff and to the quality indicators available to the public from HealthGrades."

“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 West Jefferson Medical Center for its superior quality and support of consumerism and transparency in the New Orleans area.” Highlights from West Jeff’s 2012 Fall Ratings include:

• Ranked #10 in LA for Overall Orthopedic Services in 2012
• Ranked #3 in LA for Spine Surgery in 2012
• Ranked Among the Top 10 in LA for Overall Orthopedic Services for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012) (Ranked 10 in 2012)
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in LA for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012) (Ranked 3 in 2012)
• Best Rated in the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner area for Spine Surgery in 2012
• Five-Star Rated for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
• Five-Star Rated for Back and Neck Surgery (Spinal Fusion) for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
• Recipient of the HealthGrades Neurosurgery Excellence Award™ in 2012
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Neurosurgery in 2012
• Best Rated in New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner area for Neurosurgery in 2012
• Only Hospital in the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner area to receive the 2012 Neurosurgery Excellence Award
• Ranked #4 in LA for Neurosciences in 2012
• Ranked #2 in LA for Neurosurgery in 2012
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in LA for Neurosciences in 2012 (Ranked 4 in 2012)
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in LA for Neurosurgery in 2012 (Ranked 2 in 2012)
• Five-Star Rated for Neurosurgery in 2012

Key findings of the HealthGrades 2011 Healthcare Consumerism and Hospital Quality in America report include:

• Patients had, on average a 73% lower risk of dying in a 5-star rated hospital compared to a 1-star rated hospital, and a 54% lower risk of dying in a 5-star rated hospital compared to the national average.
• Patients had, on average, were 63% less likely to experience in-hospital complications than patients at 1-star programs, and had a 43% lower chance of developing an in-hospital complication than the national average.
• If all Medicare patients from 2008 through 2010 had been treated at 5-star hospitals, 240,040 lives could have potentially been saved.
• If all Medicare patients from 2008 through 2010 had gone to 5-star hospitals for their procedure, 164,472 inhospital complications could have potentially been avoided.