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St. Joseph's Hospital Recipient of Two National Heart Care Awards
2008 Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals Cardiovascular Benchmarks Award, American College of Cardiology Foundation's NCDR(R) ACTION Registry(R)-GWTG(TM) Silver Performance Achievement Award Earned by Minnesota Heart Care Hospital Pioneer
ST. PAUL, MN--(Marketwire - November 19, 2008) - St. Joseph's Hospital, member HealthEast Care
System, and Minnesota's first hospital, has received two awards in the past
week for its national benchmark level cardiovascular services.
The hospital was named a recipient of the 2008 Thomson Reuters 100 Top
Hospitals Cardiovascular Benchmarks award. This distinction reflects
achievement of the highest national performance levels for both clinical
and managerial excellence. Eight different criteria that measure the use
of evidence-based medicine, quality outcomes, high procedure volume,
process of care, great efficiency and reasonable cost were analyzed. Four
different conditions/procedures were the focus of this assessment: acute
myocardial infarctions (heart attacks), heart failure, coronary artery
bypass graft and percutaneous coronary intervention. This is the third
time that the hospital has appeared in this Top 100 category.
In 2008, St. Joseph's Hospital was one of seven Minnesota hospitals overall
and one of four Minnesota teaching hospitals without a cardiovascular
residency program to receive this Cardiovascular Benchmarks award. There
are 130 hospitals throughout the state; 970 hospitals' performances were
examined nationwide.
St. Joseph's Hospital also received the American College of Cardiology
Foundation's NCDR ACTION Registry-GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award
for 2008 -- one of only 93 hospitals nationwide to do so. The award
recognizes St. Joseph's commitment to, and success in, implementing a
higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and signifies that it
has reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease patients
with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the
American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical
guidelines and recommendations.
To receive the ACTION Registry-GWTG Silver Performance Achievement Award,
St. Joseph's Hospital consistently followed the treatment guidelines in
ACTION Registry-GWTG for 12 consecutive months. These include aggressive
use of medications like cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE
inhibitors, aspirin, and anticoagulants in the hospital.
Sara Criger, CEO, St. Joseph's Hospital, said, "Heart disease remains a
significant health care challenge in communities nationwide. St. Joseph's
Hospital has invested in both the latest technology and expert physician
and nursing staffs so we can provide the highest standard of
evidence-based, compassionate patient care. Our goals are simple: improve
outcomes, reduce long-term complications, and allow individuals to return
to the highest possible quality of life."
St. Joseph's Hospital is a member of the HealthEast Care System, a
community-focused, non-profit health care system that provides innovative
technology, compassionate care, and a full spectrum of family health
services. HealthEast includes Bethesda Hospital, St. John's Hospital, St.
Joseph's Hospital and Woodwinds Health Campus as well as outpatient
services, clinics, pharmacies, home care, and transportation services.
Practicing financial responsibility, HealthEast is the largest,
locally-owned health care organization in the Twin Cities' East Metro with
6,700 employees and 1,400 physicians on staff.