Contact: Gian Galassi
608-263- 5561
MADISON – University Hospital was recently named one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Watson Health (formerly Truven Health Analytics). This is the ninth time University Hospital has been recognized with this honor.
The Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study is an annual, objective, quantitative study that identifies the nation’s best providers of cardiovascular care, based on publicly available data and a balanced look at clinical, operational, and financial performance metrics. Hospitals do not apply, and winners do not pay to market their honor.
Now in its 19th year, Watson Health singled out 50 hospitals that achieved superior clinical outcomes in several key performance areas, including the following comparisons with lower-ranked hospitals:
· Fewer patients with complications (18% to 20% fewer)
· Higher 30-day survival rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure (HF), and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients (0.3 to 0.9 percentage points higher)
· Lower readmission rates for AMI, HF, and CABG patients (0.6 to 0.9 percentage points lower)
· Average lengths of stay for CABG patients that were one day lower than nonwinners and 0.3 to 0.5 days lower for AMI, HF and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients
· $1,333 to $5,745 less in total costs per patient case
To identify the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals, Watson Health researchers analyzed only publicly available data from Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MEDPAR) data set; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare data set; and Medicare Cost Reports.
Watson researchers say the analysis of the winning hospitals indicate an opportunity for a broader national impact for cardiovascular patients. The study suggests that if all cardiovascular providers in the U.S. performed at the level of this year’s winners, more than 8,900 additional lives could be saved, nearly 3,700 more heart patients could be complication-free, and more than $1.4 billion could be saved. More information on this study is available at 100tophospitals.com.
