Norwood Hospital announced today that it has received Healthgrades 2013 Patient Safety Excellence Award^™. Healthgrades is the leading online resource that helps consumers search, evaluate, compare and connect with physicians and hospitals.  The distinction places Norwood Hospital within the top 5% of all hospitals for its excellent performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stays.  

“Healthgrades report highlights the variation in hospital quality, both locally and across the nation, in order to show consumers that spending time on understanding hospital performance can be a matter of life and death,” said Evan Marks, EVP Informatics and Strategy, Healthgrades. “Consumers can be assured that a hospital that has been recognized with a Healthgrades 2013 Patient Safety Excellence Award has demonstrated an established commitment to patient safety.”

On average, patients treated in Patient Safety Excellence Award hospitals were:

• 81% less likely to experience hip fracture following surgery compared to hospitals ranked in the bottom 5% in the nation
• 80% less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital compared to hospitals ranked in the bottom 5% in the nation¹
• 70% less likely to experience a catheter-related bloodstream Infection acquired in the hospital compared to hospitals ranked in the bottom 5% in the nation¹

“Over the past three years, Norwood Hospital has invested in new services, new physicians, infrastructure improvements and new clinical technology to improve the quality of care and patient experience in our hospital’ ” said Emily Holliman, President of Norwood Hospital.  “We are proud of this patient safety award.”

During the 2013 study period (2009-2011), Patient Safety Excellence Award hospitals showed better than expected performance in providing safety for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) across 13 of the 14 most common patient safety indicators, as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

About Norwood Hospital

Norwood Hospital is a full-service, 263-bed community hospital for adults and children with a focus on delivering world-class health care along with the latest advances in technology and treatment options. Norwood Hospital is part of the Steward Health Care System LLC, the largest integrated community care organization in New England which combines over 3,000 physicians, 11 acute care hospitals, managed care, insurance programs, home care, an imaging operation, and a number of other post acute services, to provide the most cost effective and highest quality of integrated patient care. Additional information is available at www.norwood-hospital.org

About Healthgrades

Healthgrades, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the leading online resource of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. More than 225 million visitors use the Healthgrades websites to search, evaluate, compare and connect with physicians and hospitals that best meet their treatment needs.  Consumers are empowered through use of the Healthgrades proprietary information about clinical outcomes, satisfaction, safety, and health conditions to make more informed healthcare decisions and take action.  For more information please visit www.healthgrades.com and www.bettermedicine.com.