EvergreenHealth Rated Among Best in U.S. in Maternity Care, Gynecologic Surgery

Report finds top hospitals have 62 percent fewer maternal complications

Kirkland  – EvergreenHealth was named as one the top hospitals in the nation for maternity care for the ninth consecutive year and as one of nation's leaders in gynecologic surgery for the second consecutive year in a report released today by HealthGrades.

EvergreenHealth is the only hospital in Washington state to be 5-star rated in both categories. It is also the only hospital in the state and one of just 26 hospitals nationwide to receive the maternity care honor for nine consecutive years.

HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make informed healthcare decisions, found that women who give birth at 5-star rated hospitals like EvergreenHealth experience 62 percent fewer complications than lower-performing hospitals. Also, women who undergo gynecologic surgery at 5-star rated hospitals experience 56 percent fewer complications.

“This honor highlights our continued status as the Eastside’s preferred hospital for maternity care for 40 years,” said Bob Malte, CEO, EvergreenHealth. “This award is achieved by the compassion and skills that underlie the expert care provided by everyone at EvergreenHealth Women and Children Care.”

“As women become more likely to seek medical care based on public reporting outcomes, this level of detail in reduction of complications will be most important,” said Divya Cantor, MD, MBA, HealthGrades senior physician consultant and the study’s author. “Which hospital an expectant mom chooses to have her baby can result in lifelong consequences for both her and her baby. Physicians and all care givers are able to use this data as impetus for improving their clinical quality outcomes.”

HealthGrades conducted the research as part of its report, HealthGrades 2012 Trends in Women’s Health in American Hospitals. In the 19 states studied, 7 percent of women undergoing single live birth deliveries experience an in-hospital complication. Hospitals that received the 5-star rating had 62 percent fewer complications during childbirth compared to hospitals rated as poor. HealthGrades found the most common in-hospital complications for maternity care patients are lacerations, hemorrhages and postpartum infections.

The 224 hospitals that received the 5-star rating for maternity care were evaluated on:

• Vaginal delivery maternal complications for single live deliveries
• Cesarean-section delivery maternal complication rates for single live deliveries
• Overall volume and volume of low birth weight deliveries
• Risk-adjusted infant mortality rates for single live deliveries

“A clear disparity exists between the complication rates that occur at hospitals performing at lower levels for gynecologic surgery compared to those HealthGrades has identified as 5-star hospitals,” said Divya Cantor. “Our goal is not only to arm female patients with up-to-date statistics on clinical outcomes as they research and select healthcare providers, but also to name the hospitals that are setting the national standard for gynecologic surgery.”

Along with this recognition from HealthGrades, EvergreenHealth was also the only hospital in King County to win the Outstanding Patient Experience Award and the Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award in 2012. EvergreenHealth also received this year’s Stroke Care Excellence and the Pulmonary Care Excellence awards.

To learn more about Women and Children Care at EvergreenHealth visit the website at www.evergreenhealth.com/wcs.

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About EvergreenHealth

EvergreenHealth, a public hospital district and community-based healthcare organization established in 1972, offers a breadth of services and programs that is among the most comprehensive in the region. More than 950 physicians provide clinical excellence within more than 80 specialties, including cardiac, oncology, surgical care, orthopedics, a neuroscience institute, women’s and children’s services, hospice care, pulmonary care, a sleep disorders center and home care services.  EvergreenHealth serves more than 400,000 residents in its primary service area of northern King and southern Snohomish counties with EvergreenHealth Primary Care, a network of primary and urgent care practices, and its main hospital campus in Kirkland, Wash. EvergreenHealth also provides emergency care at two sites; its main hospital campus and the EvergreenHealth Redmond Medical Center.  In addition to clinical care, EvergreenHealth offers extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigators and Healthline, a 24/7 nurse consultation service. For more information, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.