Hackensack University Medical Center Among Top 5% in Nation for Emergency Medicine
September 16, 2011 01:21 PM
Hackensack, NJ – A study recently released by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading, independent source of physician information and hospital quality ratings,placed Hackensack University Medical Center among the top five percent in the nation for Emergency Medicine. The study named 268 hospitals in the nation, including Hackensack University Medical Center, as recipients of HealthGrades 2011 Emergency Medicine Excellence Award™, with Hackensack being the only recipient in Bergen County, New Jersey.
The findings are based on an analysis of more than seven million Medicare patient records from 2007 to 2009. HealthGrades Emergency Medicine in American Hospitals study focused on 12 of the most common and life-threatening medical emergencies among that patient population including heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
“This is a superb accomplishment by our Emergency Trauma Department – the busiest in the state of New Jersey,” said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of Hackensack University Medical Center. “To uphold this kind of quality treatment, on which members of our community can depend in emergency situations, is truly remarkable. Dr. Joseph Feldman, chairman of Emergency Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center, should be extremely proud of the team he leads.”
“In the case of a medical emergency, patients need to get to the closest emergency room as fast as possible. No exceptions,” said Dr. Rick May, study co-author and HealthGrades Vice President of clinical quality services. “That said, we encourage patients to prepare in advance by identifying top-performing hospitals close to home. Our research shows that it’s not just the care you receive the moment you arrive that makes the difference between life and death, but the hospital’s ability to continue to provide you with the right care at the right time if you need to be admitted.”
Other key findings of the HealthGrades study include:
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Medicare patients treated at hospitals recognized with a HealthGrades Emergency Medicine Excellence Award had, on average, a 40% lower risk of death compared to patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
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On average, for the 12 conditions studied, the percentage of cases admitted through the emergency department increased 2.64% from 2007 to 2009.
About HealthGrades
HealthGrades is America's most trusted, independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes. HealthGrades’ online properties are the nation's leading destination for physician search and empower more than 200 million consumers annually to make informed healthcare decisions.
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