Spine Surgery Cited in 9th Annual HealthGrades Study

Des Peres Hospital was recently recognized for clinical excellence in Spine Surgery in a study released October 16, 2006, by HealthGrades, a leading independent healthcare ratings company.   In fact, for 2007, Des Peres Hospital is:  

• Ranked Among the Top 10 (#7) in Missouri for Spinal Surgery
• Best Rated in the St. Louis Central Area for Spine Surgery – Two Years in a Row (2006, 2007)              

“Quality patient care is a top priority,” said Michele C. Meyer, the hospital’s chief executive officer.  “Recognition from an objective, independent source such as HealthGrades validates the efforts our physicians, nurses and staff make to deliver quality, personal care to our patients every day.”

The ninth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study analyzed 40.6 million Medicare hospitalization records, from the years 2003 through 2005, to rate the quality of care at each of the nation’s more than 5,000 nonfederal hospitals.  To help consumers compare the quality of local hospitals, HealthGrades posts its ratings free of charge on its consumer Web site, HealthGrades.com, and in its suite of decision-support tools that major employers and health plans offer as a benefit to employees and plan members.

The HealthGrades ratings measure whether patient outcomes for each of more than two dozen procedures and diagnoses are better than expected (5-Star), as expected (3-Star) or worse than expected (1-Star).

For 2006, HealthGrades analysis found Des Peres Hospital:

• Ranked #1 in Missouri for Joint Replacement Surgery
• Best Rated in St. Louis Central Area for Overall Orthopedic Services
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Joint Replacement Surgery