Franciscan Physicians Hospital, Franciscan Alliance Recognized for Clinical Excellence

A report released today by HealthGrades, the nation's most trusted, independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings, recognized Franciscan Alliance Hospitals in Northwest Indiana as leaders in Clinical Excellence.

Franciscan Alliance hospitals continue to receive Five-Star ratings for multiple years in Cardiac Care, Orthopedic Services, Pulmonary Services, GI Care and Critical Care in 2012.
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 Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago market area can be found online at HealthGrades.com or via this link Greater Chicago Area.

"We're pleased that the strenuous efforts of our physicians and employees have been recognized in the context of the latest HealthGrades report," said Gene Diamond, CEO of Franciscan Alliance's Northern Indiana Region. "The results demonstrate superior outcomes in a number of key clinical programs and services. The people of Northwest Indiana have come to expect high-quality clinical outcomes from us. They deserve nothing less."

"Patients today have a wide array 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 Alliance Hospitals for theirsuperior quality and support of consumerism and transparency in the Northwest Indiana area."

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 inhospital complications than patients at 1-star programs, and had a 43% lower chance of developing an inhospital 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.
• In an online survey, 80% said they are very or somewhat concerned about the quality of hospital care in their community.

Franciscan Alliance hospitals have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to clinical excellence and quality improvement as demonstrated by its outstanding patient outcomes across a variety of service areas including cardiac services, orthopedic services, pulmonary services, GI care and critical care. Earlier this year St. Margaret Health Hammond was also recognized for its top 5% national ranking in Women’s Health for the third consecutive year as being named a Women's Health Excellence Award recipient for the 3rd consecutive year. The Franciscan Alliance hospitals have been recognized by HealthGrades with the following achievements by Service Area:

Additional Information on Franciscan Alliance Hospital Clinical Achievements:

• Franciscan St. Margaret Health–Hammond
  • Cardiac:
    - Ranked #9 in IN for Overall Cardiac Services in 2012
    - Ranked #9 in IN for Cardiology Services in 2012
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for Overall Cardiac Services for 4 Years in a Row (2009-2012)
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for Cardiology Services for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure for 5 Years in a Row (2008-2012)
  • Orthopedic:
    - Five-Star Rated for Joint Replacement in 2012
    - Five-Star Rated for Total Knee Replacement in 2012
    - Five-Star Rated for Hip Fracture Treatment in 2012
  • Pulmonary:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for 4 Years in a Row (2009-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Pneumonia for 5 Years in a Row (2008-2012)
  • Gastrointestinal:
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for GI Medical Treatment in 2012
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of GI Bleed for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
  • Critical Care:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Respiratory Failure in 2012

• Franciscan St. Margaret Health–Dyer
  • Cardiac:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure for 6 Years in a Row (2007-2012)
  • Orthopedics:
    - Ranked #6 in IN for Spine Surgery in 2012
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Back and Neck Surgery (except Spinal Fusion) for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
  • Gastrointestinal:
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for GI Services in 2012
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of GI Bleed for 3 Years in a Row (2010-2012)

• Franciscan St. Anthony Health–Michigan City
  • Orthopedic:
    - Five-Star Rated for Hip Fracture Treatment in 2012
  • Critical Care:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Respiratory Failure for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012) Orthopedics:
    - Ranked #6 in IN for Spine Surgery in 2012
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Spine Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
    - Five-Star Rated for Back and Neck Surgery (except Spinal Fusion) for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)
  • Gastrointestinal:
    - Ranked Among the Top 10 in IN for GI Services in 2012
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of GI Bleed for 3 Years in a Row (2010-2012)

• Franciscan Physicians Hospital–Munster
  • Cardiac:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure for 4 Years in a Row (2009-2012)
  • Pulmonary:
    - Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease for 2 Years in a Row (2011-2012)

• Franciscan St. Anthony–Crown Point
  • Orthopedic:
    - Five-Star Rated for Hip Fracture Treatment for 5 Years in a Row (2008-2012)

About Franciscan Alliance
Mishawka-based Franciscan Alliance, which has 14 hospitals, is a leader in providing faith-based, integrated health care, using the latest technology, innovative procedures and the brightest, most compassionate people to serve patients in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan. It offers nationally recognized Centers of Health Care Excellence and more than 18,000 employees, including more than 600 physicians. For more than 135 years, Franciscan Alliance has had a mission to provide care for everyone, 2.9 million outpatients and more than 100,000 inpatients every year, regardless of ability to pay.

About HealthGrades
HealthGrades is America's most trusted, independent source of physician information and hospital qualityoutcomes. HealthGrades online properties are the nation's leading destination for physician search andempower more than 170 million consumers annually to make

Award Winning Care - Franciscan Physicians Hospital Earns Top Ratings

HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization, published a study today finding that the Sisters of Saint Francis Health Services Inc. Northern Indiana Region hospitals are recipients of top national and state rankings, as well as 5-Star ratings, signifying performance above the national average for cardiac, orthopedic, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and critical care.

The nation’s nearly 5,000 hospitals were all included in the study, which examined mortality rates and complication rates from government data from 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Top-performing hospitals had dramatically lower mortality rates than other hospitals, according to the study. For the 17 procedures and diagnoses for which HealthGrades analyzed mortality rates, patients at top hospitals had a 72 percent lower chance of dying when compared with the lowest-performing hospitals, and a 53 percent lower chance of dying when compared to the U.S. national average.

Across all procedures in which complications were studied, there was an 80 percent lower chance of experiencing one or more complications in a 5-star rated hospital compared to a 1-star rated hospital.

Saint Margaret Mercy hospitals in Hammond and Dyer, Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers in Michigan City, Saint Anthony Medical Center of Crown Point and Franciscan Physicians Hospital in Munster were recognized by HealthGrades for superior patient outcomes across a broad spectrum of clinical areas.

“The latest ratings confirm that we’re headed in the right direction, thanks to the tireless work of our physicians and employees, who renew their unwavering commitment to high-quality patient care every day. I salute them,’’ said Gene Diamond, Northern Indiana Region CEO.

He added Sisters of Saint Francis Health Services supports all efforts to make quality outcomes available to communities in the Northern Indiana Region and is pleased to announce receipt of the following HealthGrades 2011 awards.

Cardiac Care

Saint Margaret Mercy - Hammond

• Best in Region* and Only Specialty Excellence Award Recipient for Overall Cardiac Services in 2011 (*Gary, IN division as defined by the federal government’s office of Management and Budget).
• Best in Region* and Only Specialty Excellence Award Recipient for Cardiac Surgery for the second consecutive year, 2010-2011 (*Gary, IN division as defined by the federal government’s office of Management and Budget).
• Recipient of the Cardiac Care Excellence Award in 2011.
• Recipient of the Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award for two consecutive years (2010-2011).
• Ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for Overall Cardiac Services in 2011.
• Ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for Cardiac Surgery for two consecutive years.
• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for Overall Cardiac Services for three years in a row (2009-2011).
• Ranked among the top 5 in Indiana for Cardiac Surgery for two straight years (2010-2011).
• Ranked among the top 5 in Indiana for Cardiology Services in 2011.
• 5-Star rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery for two Years in a row (2010-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Heart Attack in 2011.
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Heart Failure for four straight years (2008-2011).

Saint Margaret Mercy - Dyer

• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana Overall Cardiac Services in 2011.
• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for Cardiology Services five years in a row (2007-2011).
• 5-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure five years in a Row (2007-2011).

Franciscan Physicians Hospital - Munster

• 5-Star rated for the Treatment of Heart Failure three consecutive years (2009-2011.

Orthopedic Services

Saint Margaret Mercy - Dyer

• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for Spine Surgery in 2011.
• 5-Star rated for Spine Surgery in 2011.
• 5-Star Rated for Back and Neck Surgery (except Spinal Fusion) in 2011

Saint Anthony Medical Center - Crown Point

• 5-Star rated for Hip Fracture Repair four straight years (2008-2011).
  

Pulmonary Care

Saint Margaret Mercy - Hammond

• Recipient of the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award three straight years (2009-2011).
• Ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for Overall Pulmonary Services three consecutive years (2009-2011).
• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for Overall Pulmonary Services three consecutive years (2009-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Overall Pulmonary Services three consecutive years (2009-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease For 3 Years in a Row (2009-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Pneumonia four straight years (2008-2011).
  

Saint Margaret Mercy - Dyer

• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Pneumonia three years in a row (2009-2011).
  

Franciscan Physicians Hospital

• 5-Star rated for treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Critical Care

Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers

• Ranked Among the top 10 in Indiana for Critical Care in 2011.
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Respiratory Failure in 2011.

Gastrointestinal Services

Saint Anthony Medical Center

• Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for GI Services three years in a row (2009-2011).
• Ranked among the Top 10 in Indiana for GI Surgery three years in a row (2009-2011).
• 5-Star rated for GI Surgery three straight years (2009-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Treatment of Bowel Obstruction two years in a row (2010-2011).
• 5-Star rated for Cholecystectomy three straight years (2009-2011).

Saint Margaret Mercy - Hammond

• Five-Star rated for Treatment of GI Bleed in 2011.

The Thirteenth Annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study, the largest annual report of its kind, analyzed patient outcomes from nearly 40 million Medicare hospitalization records over a three-year period.

HealthGrades’ hospital ratings are the leading objective, actionable quality measures based solely on clinical performance made available to the public.

HealthGrades Hospital Quality Ratings
HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated.

For 26 procedures and medical treatments, HealthGrades issues star ratings that reflect the mortality and complication rates for each category of care. Hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average, to a statistically significant degree. A 3-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 equal comparisons.

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

About Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc.
The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration began its mission in the United States with the founding of St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lafayette, Indiana in 1875, and over the course of more than 125 years, Sisters of St. Francis Health Services, Inc., has grown into a leading 13-hospital Midwest healthcare system with 11 hospitals in Indiana and two hospitals in Illinois covering four regions.