Affinity hospitals recognized for quality patient care
Mercy Medical Center, St. Elizabeth Hospital rank in Top 1 percent nationally
10 / 19 / 2007
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Steve Wuerger, Media Relations
Affinity Health System
(920) 720-1752
(920) 554-0686 (pager)
MENASHA, Wis. –
“This honor reflects the quality care that our employees, physicians and volunteers provide daily to our patients,” said Daniel E. Neufelder, president and chief executive officer of Affinity Health System and the interim president of
The Affinity Health System hospitals are two of 49 nationally, the top 1 percent of acute inpatient facilities, to be recognized with the Select Practice Award. Among the more than 4,700 acute care inpatient facilities in the United States eligible to receive the award, Mercy and St. Elizabeth exhibited the highest level performance in both quality and efficiency of patient care.
“Our recognition as a Select Practice national quality leader is a direct reflection of the contributions of everyone who works and volunteers at Mercy Medical Center,” said William Calhoun, president of Mercy Medical Center. “This is terrific news.”
“We are pleased to recognize this elite group of hospitals from across the nation that offer the highest quality and most efficient patient care,” said Dr. Richard A. Bankowitz, FACP, vice president and medical director for Premier Healthcare Informatics. “These hospitals represent the country’s elite healthcare facilities for patient care based on performance using objective measures of clinical outcomes and efficiencies.”
As recipients of the 2007 Select Practice National Quality Award, Mercy and St. Elizabeth achieved superior performance in care of patients, as identified by the Premier | CareScience Select methodology. Select Practice data includes 16 different clinically relevant indicators of risk, more than any other national quality award or designation. The quality index is calculated by combining the outcome deviations for mortality, morbidity and complications into a single quality measure for each facility. The combined quality and efficiency ratings are used to determine award recipients.
Mercy and St. Elizabeth did not apply for this award, but instead were identified as top performers in quality and efficiency among all acute care facilities in the MEDPAR 2005 data, regardless of bed size or teaching status.
Additional information about the Premier | CareScience Practice National Quality Award and related methodology can be found at http://www.premierinc.com/about/news/awards/index.jsp.
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For the Editor:
Affinity Health System, a Catholic mission-oriented regional health care network, is a partnership of Ministry Health Care and Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. Affinity Health System is the Fox Valley’s third largest employer, according to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and is ranked 24 among the top 100 integrated health care networks nationwide (Verispan 2008). Both St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton and Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh rank among the top 1 percent among hospitals nationwide in terms of quality and efficiency, as determined by the 2007 Premier | CareScience Select practice National Quality Award. Network Health Plan has achieved Excellent accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), the highest possible level. It is ranked 37th among the 250 rated health plans in the nation in terms of customer satisfaction and clinical performance, according to the U.S. News and World Report/NCQA Best Health Plans in America listing. Members of Affinity include Mercy Medical Center and Mercy Health Foundation, Oshkosh; St. Elizabeth Hospital and the St. Elizabeth Hospital Community Foundation, Appleton; Affinity Medical Group, a regional network of 23 family practice and specialty clinics in 13 communities; Calumet Medical Center, Chilton; Network Health Plan, Menasha; and Affinity Occupational Health.