By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Bruce Baldwin, middle, CEO of Newberry County Memorial Hospital, holds one of Newberry County Memorial Hospital’s two newly awarded honors. Baldwin was presented the awards during a reception Thursday morning. At left is Harriett Wells Kegler and at right is George Oxner, both members of the hospital board of trustees.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_DSC_0625.jpgBruce Baldwin, middle, CEO of Newberry County Memorial Hospital, holds one of Newberry County Memorial Hospital’s two newly awarded honors. Baldwin was presented the awards during a reception Thursday morning. At left is Harriett Wells Kegler and at right is George Oxner, both members of the hospital board of trustees. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Newberry County Memorial Hospital was awarded the Outstanding Patient Experience and Joint Replacement Excellence Award for 2016.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_DSC_0619.jpgNewberry County Memorial Hospital was awarded the Outstanding Patient Experience and Joint Replacement Excellence Award for 2016. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

NEWBERRY — Newberry County Memorial Hospital has been awarded Outstanding Patient Experience and Joint Replacement Excellence Award from Healthgrades for 2016. Both awards were given to NCMH after Healthgrades conducted their annual analysis of hospital quality.

These awards are more than just a recognition, but rather a statistic of quality at NCMH.

“From 2012-2014, patients treated at hospitals receiving the Joint Replacement Specialty Excellence Award have, on average 52.6 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award,” said Maggie Foley, associate director, Quality Solutions. “From 2012-2014, patients treated at hospitals which did not receive the Joint Replacement Specialty Excellence Award have, on average 2.11 times more likely to experience one or more complications in the hospital than if they were treated at hospitals that did receive the award.”

Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2012 through 2014 and represent three year estimates for Medicare patients only, Foley said.

Foley said Newberry has demonstrated year after year a high standard of quality outcomes in Orthopedics that has resulted in the achievement of Healthgrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award for four years in a row. Additionally, Newberry has achieved a five star designation for total knee replacement for five consecutive years and for hip fracture treatment for two consecutive years.

“I would like to shine the spotlight on the Outstanding Patient Experience Achievement. Newberry Hospital is honored for providing outstanding performance in the delivery of a positive experience for patients during their hospital stay,” Foley said.

Bruce Baldwin, CEO of NCMH, said the staff has experienced a lot of growth in the last few years, adding that the resources available at the hospital has added to the level of care.

“This award is not for me, not even for the Governing Board, it is all of you celebrating this together, and it is for the community that has allowed us to accept these awards,” he said.

Healthgrades evaluated 3,858 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, covering admissions from April 2014 to March 2015, to identify hospital performance in patient experience.

“We evaluate performance by applying a scoring methodology to 10 patient experience measures, using data collected form a 32 question patient experience survey of the hospital’s own patients,” Foley said. “The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital. Question topics range from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as pain management and responsiveness to patients’ needs. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends and family.”

Of those 3,858 hospitals, 2,965 met those requirements with 448 hospitals outperforming their peers. Based on their patients’ responses Newberry Hospital’s performance places them among the top 10 percent in the nation.

“These awards are not achieved by accident, and we commend Newberry County for accomplishing them through your commitment to your core values. We believe it is the application of your core values and quality principles that drove to this success,” Foley said. “These awards are a direct result of your collective dedication to these principles. We know that this level of achievement is something to be celebrated by your staff, your patients and your community, and we too at Healthgrades congratulate you on your 2016 achievements.”

According to healthgrades.com, Healthgrade’s mission is to help consumers find the right doctor and the right hospital, for the right care. For the past 16 years they have evaluated hospital performance in terms of clinical outcomes, believing the mortality and complication rates are the most fundamental, relevant and objective measures of quality and the metrics that are the most important to patients.

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.