MMH in Top 5 Percent Nationwide
for Patient Safety and Heart Surgery

From left: Marc Miller, Universal Health Services (UHS) VP, Acute Care-Eastern Region; Alberto Montalvo, MD, board member; Brian T. Flynn, CEO; Hugh Miller, Chairman of the Board and Kevin Gross, UHS SVP/President, Acute Care Division

An independent research study ranked Manatee Memorial Hospital as one of the safest hospitals in the nation and awarded it the 2006 Distinguished Hospital Award for Patient Safety^TM.

HealthGrades^®, a leading healthcare ratings company, evaluated 5,100 hospitals nationwide. Of those, only 1,500 were included in the study -- they met criteria that included the ability to treat a wide range of medical conditions and a demonstrated, acceptable level of clinical quality. Of those 1,500 hospitals, only 238 hospitals in the nation, and 23 hospitals in Florida, received the prestigious award. This ranking places Manatee Memorial in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for successful patient safety outcomes.

Adding to the honor, HealthGrades ranked Manatee Memorial in the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide for heart surgery.

"The award and rankings are testimonies to the skill and dedication of our patient care teams," says Brian T. Flynn, MMH Chief Executive Officer. "The honors provide peace of mind to each patient who comes through our doors."

How the Survey Was Conducted
HealthGrades analyzed nearly 40 million Medicare patient safety records from the original 5,100 hospitals. The records were collected during the years 2002 to 2004. Thirteen adverse incidents that patients might experience -- including postoperative infections, respiratory failure and preventable deaths -- were evaluated.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a federal agency that helps improve the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare, has identified these 13 incidents as preventable.

What the Results Mean to You
The national study found 1.24 million negative patient safety incidents in Medicare patients, up from 1.18 million in the 2005 study. Of the 304,702 deaths in the Medicare population during the study period, a total of 250,246 were potentially preventable, the study concluded. Second to the human cost, these negative incidents cost the U.S. healthcare system $9.3 billion.

If all Medicare patients had been treated at Distinguished Hospitals for Patient Safety during that period, HealthGrades reports that 280,134 patient safety occurrences, 44,153 deaths and $2.45 billion in excess costs could have been avoided. Additionally, patients treated at Distinguished Hospitals for Patient Safety are 43 percent less likely to experience adverse, preventable incidents than patients treated at low-performing hospitals.

Find more information on HealthGrades and the survey methodology at www.healthgrades.com.

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