Member News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 9, 2009

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Recognized with Excellence Award for Women's Health

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center announced today that the nation's leading independent healthcare ratings organization ranked it among the top 5% in the nation for Women's Health quality outcomes, recognized by the 2009/2010 Women's Health Excellence Award™.

The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women's Health in American Hospitals study released today by HealthGrades analyzed patient outcomes for the in-hospital treatment of 16 procedures/diagnoses concerning women's health and maternity care. The study found that wide gaps persist between the quality of care at best- and worst-performing hospitals.

If all hospitals in the study performed at the level of the best-performing hospitals in women's health, 18,089 women's lives could have potentially been saved and 6,849 complications could have been avoided during the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. Eighty-two percent (14,930) of the potentially preventable deaths were associated with the treatment of just four diagnoses: pneumonia, stroke, heart failure, and heart attack.

"We are extremely proud of being named one of the top five percent of hospitals nationally for women's health excellence," says Dr. Gary Plundo, Chief Medical Officer for Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. "We are intently focused on providing the greater Will County community with the highest quality of care and the best outcomes. HealthGrades' rating of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center is a clear indicator of our commitment to patient care."

Hospitals that receive this award rank among the top 5% of all hospitals nationwide when it comes to providing care to women in three areas: Women's Medicine (heart attack, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and stroke); Women's Cardiovascular Procedures (coronary bypass surgery, peripheral vascular bypass, coronary interventional procedures, resection/replacement of abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid surgery, and valve replacement); and Women's Bone & Joint Health (total knee and total hip replacement surgeries, spinal surgeries, and hip fracture repair). "The way in which women present symptoms differ from men in acute situations, such as heart attack," said Dr. Rick May, senior physician consultant with HealthGrades and a study co-author. "Treatment for women can also differ and the quality can certainly vary between hospitals, so it is important for women to know which hospitals are recognized among the top five percent in the nation."

In the study, HealthGrades analyzed more than 2.6 million hospitalizations using Medicare data from all 50 states from 2005 through 2007. To be included in the analysis, hospitals had to have an open heart program and treat significant numbers of women for stroke. Hospitals also had to have a significant patient population in at least six additional cohorts from all areas (pulmonary, cardiac, vascular, orthopedics and spine). The study, along with HealthGrades' individual hospital ratings, can be viewed for free at www.HealthGrades.com.

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center serves Will County and the southwest Chicago suburbs, providing the area's only 24/7 neurosciences program, advanced cardiac care with a world-class open heart program, family-centered obstetrics, a Level II Emergency Department that has been nationally recognized for eliminating wait, and leading-edge procedures such as Biplane and Trilogy.

Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center is part of Mokena, Illinois-based Provena Health. Provena Health is a Catholic health system that includes six hospitals, 17 long-term care and senior residential facilities, 36 clinics, five home health agencies, hospice, private duty, and other health-related activities operating in Illinois and Indiana. Provena Health ministries are sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary and the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. Visit us on the web at www.provena.org/stjoes