CHICAGO – Norwegian American Hospital announced today that it has received the 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ according to Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. This distinction puts Norwegian American Hospital within the top 10% of all hospitals evaluated for their excellent performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stays.
“This award is a wonderful validation of what we do every day to provide truly exceptional care for our patients,” said José R. Sánchez, president and CEO of Norwegian American Hospital. “We are very proud of our hospital culture, which prioritizes the highest quality of patient care and safety above all else. We work to continually raise the bar and enhance the experience for the benefit of our patients and their family members, every day.”
On average, 133,896 patient safety events could have been avoided if all hospitals, as a group from 2011 from 2013, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 Patient Safety Indicators evaluated by Healthgrades.
In addition, during this study period, patients treated in hospitals receiving Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:
* 43.9 percent less likely to experience an accidental puncture or laceration during a procedure, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
* 53.6 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
* 47.4 percent less likely to experience catheter-related blood stream infections, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
* 43.8 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
During the study period (2011-2013), Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals performed with excellence in providing safety for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) for 13 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
“This award is truly a reflection of our commitment to patient safety and quality healthcare for all our patients,” said Dr. Abha Agrawal, vice president of medical affairs and COO of Norwegian American Hospital. “Day in and day out, we strive to provide our patients with the very best hospital experience. Whether it’s a routine screening or more involved surgery, each patient receives exemplary care.”
