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Stress test: Dr. Cynthia Kremser uses a stress machine to test Green resident Ginny Busch’s heart activity as she walks on a treadmill Monday.
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ENLARGE
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Heart activity: A detailed readout of Ginny Busch's heart activity is shown after she completed her tests on a stress machine at Mercy Medical Center on Monday.
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ENLARGE
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Results studied: Dr. Cynthia Kremser, right, and RN Cindy Gilbreath, left, look over the results from Ginny Busch’s stress test at Mercy Medical Center Monday.
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Mercy Medical Center recently received the highest rating for clinical excellence for cardiology and pulmonary services in a study done by HealthGrades, a health care ratings company.
“The HealthGrades is great recognition on how wonderful our whole staff is,” said Bob Dannenhoffer, Mercy’s vice president for clinical effectiveness. “We couldn’t do this without everyone working together.”
The hospital earned a five-star rating from HealthGrades for its cardiology services, which includes treatment of heart attack and congestive heart failure. It also encompasses atrial fibrillation, which is when the upper heart chambers quiver instead of pumping blood properly.
HealthGrades identified Mercy Medical Center’s pulmonary services among the top 5 percent in the nation and ranked the hospital number one in Oregon. The company analyzed 5,000 hospitals in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Earlier this year, HealthGrades awarded the hospital with the 2005 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and placed it in the top 5 percent in the nation for overall clinical excellence.
For the past eight years, HealthGrades has examined hospitals nationwide using independent private and public sources, including Medicare and Medicaid.
The company comes out with a report every year, but looks at data for every three years. The evaluation process is involuntary and hospitals don’t pay for it, said Kathleen Nickel, spokeswoman for Mercy Medical Center.
“The HealthGrades is great recognition on how wonderful our whole staff is,” said Bob Dannenhoffer, Mercy’s vice president for clinical effectiveness. “We couldn’t do this without everyone working together.”
The hospital earned a five-star rating from HealthGrades for its cardiology services, which includes treatment of heart attack and congestive heart failure. It also encompasses atrial fibrillation, which is when the upper heart chambers quiver instead of pumping blood properly.
HealthGrades identified Mercy Medical Center’s pulmonary services among the top 5 percent in the nation and ranked the hospital number one in Oregon. The company analyzed 5,000 hospitals in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Earlier this year, HealthGrades awarded the hospital with the 2005 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and placed it in the top 5 percent in the nation for overall clinical excellence.
For the past eight years, HealthGrades has examined hospitals nationwide using independent private and public sources, including Medicare and Medicaid.
The company comes out with a report every year, but looks at data for every three years. The evaluation process is involuntary and hospitals don’t pay for it, said Kathleen Nickel, spokeswoman for Mercy Medical Center.
To determine the quality of care, HealthGrades tracks the survival rate of Medicare patients with various conditions during their stay at the hospital and after they leave, said Kristin Reed, a consultant for HealthGrades.
The hospital’s mortality rate indicates whether the hospital’s staff works together as a team and whether the hospital has a process that provides good quality care, Reed said. The survival rate is the end result to patient care.
HealthGrades collects hospitals’ data to help patients.
“We think it’s important for the consumers to be able to do research to make decisions about what hospital to go to,” Reed said.
Mercy has three pulmonary doctors, which is a high number for a hospital Mercy’s size, Nickel said. There are 67 health professionals who work in pulmonary out of the Intensive Care Unit.
Nickel attributes the success of Mercy’s pulmonary services to the doctors’ expertise. All three physicians are board certified in
pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. Doctors have the option of becoming board certified after they complete medical school. To be certified, they must demonstrate through examinations that they have the knowledge and skills to practice their specialty.
The hospital’s mortality rate indicates whether the hospital’s staff works together as a team and whether the hospital has a process that provides good quality care, Reed said. The survival rate is the end result to patient care.
HealthGrades collects hospitals’ data to help patients.
“We think it’s important for the consumers to be able to do research to make decisions about what hospital to go to,” Reed said.
Mercy has three pulmonary doctors, which is a high number for a hospital Mercy’s size, Nickel said. There are 67 health professionals who work in pulmonary out of the Intensive Care Unit.
Nickel attributes the success of Mercy’s pulmonary services to the doctors’ expertise. All three physicians are board certified in
pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine. Doctors have the option of becoming board certified after they complete medical school. To be certified, they must demonstrate through examinations that they have the knowledge and skills to practice their specialty.
One reason the cardiology department scored well is because it provides patients with blood clot-breaking drugs for heart attacks quicker than other hospitals, Nickel said.
The national average is 31 minutes, while Mercy gives the medicine to patients in 19 minutes, Nickel said. There are four cardiologists and 36 health professionals who work in the cardiology unit, known as the Shaw Heart Center. The four cardiologists are board certified in
internal medicine and cardiology.
Dr. Frances Munkenbeck, a cardiologist, said she believes the cardiology department was recognized because the paramedics, doctors and nurses follow a set of orders every time a patient comes in with a heart condition. This saves time and ensures the patients receive the best care possible.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel every time a patient comes in,” she said.
Munkenbeck credits her colleague Dr. Cynthia Kremser for putting in place the orders in the 1990s. Many hospitals do not have a set of orders or have just started to implement them, she said.
Mercy’s Chief Executive Officer Vic Fresolone said the recognition is good news for the community.
“It means that at Mercy Medical Center, patients with serious conditions and complex diagnoses are much more likely to survive and thrive as a result of their hospital stay with us,” Fresolone said in a press release.
• You can reach reporter Danielle Gillespie at 957-4202 or by e-mail at dgillespie@newsreview.info.
The national average is 31 minutes, while Mercy gives the medicine to patients in 19 minutes, Nickel said. There are four cardiologists and 36 health professionals who work in the cardiology unit, known as the Shaw Heart Center. The four cardiologists are board certified in
internal medicine and cardiology.
Dr. Frances Munkenbeck, a cardiologist, said she believes the cardiology department was recognized because the paramedics, doctors and nurses follow a set of orders every time a patient comes in with a heart condition. This saves time and ensures the patients receive the best care possible.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel every time a patient comes in,” she said.
Munkenbeck credits her colleague Dr. Cynthia Kremser for putting in place the orders in the 1990s. Many hospitals do not have a set of orders or have just started to implement them, she said.
Mercy’s Chief Executive Officer Vic Fresolone said the recognition is good news for the community.
“It means that at Mercy Medical Center, patients with serious conditions and complex diagnoses are much more likely to survive and thrive as a result of their hospital stay with us,” Fresolone said in a press release.
• You can reach reporter Danielle Gillespie at 957-4202 or by e-mail at dgillespie@newsreview.info.
