Porter Celebrates Multiple 2009 HealthGrades® Ratings

February 11, 2009

In a celebration that kicked off late Thursday afternoon and included local officials, Porter Health System congratulated its physicians and associates for achieving multiple five-star ratings in several categories for 2009. The ratings came from HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization that provides ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes and physicians.

HealthGrades offers, free to consumers, quality ratings of 26 procedures and treatments for every nonfederal hospital in the country. Porter was rated among the Top 5 in the State of Indiana in several categories of treatment, including (#3) for Coronary Interventional procedures, (#5) Vascular Surgery – a rating it has received for two years in a row (2008-2009), and (#4) For Overall Orthopedic Services. In addition Porter rated Best in the Region (NW Indiana) for Coronary Interventional procedures, and received a five-star rating for Coronary Interventional procedures.

Porter’s Orthopedic Services also received several five-star ratings including for Overall Orthopedic Services, Joint Replacement Three Years in a Row (2007-2009), Total Knee Replacement Three Years in a Row (2007-2009), and received a five-star rating for Hip-Fracture Repair. In 2008 Porter was the recipient of the HealthGrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award ™.

Porter rated among the Top 10 (#10) in Indiana and received five-star ratings for Treatment of Stroke, Treatment of Pneumonia, GI Procedures and Surgeries, and has been five-star rated for Treatment of Pancreatitis Two Years in a Row (2008-2009).

“The most important thing we can do for our patients and their loved ones is provide the highest levels of quality care,” said Porter CEO Jonathan Nalli. “These rankings by an independent organization such as HealthGrades give confirmation to what we knew to be true at Porter. We are extremely proud of our physicians and associates,” he said.

According to the HealthGrades website, www.healthgrades.com, the star rating analysis is based on each hospital’s patient outcomes in terms of mortality or complication rates for each procedure or treatment. Hospitals with outcomes that are above average to a statistically significant degree receive a five-star rating. Because no two hospitals or their patients’ risk profiles are alike HealthGrades employs extensive risk-adjustment algorithms to ensure that it is making fair comparisons.

Nalli said that patients can feel confident that there is nationally rated quality of care right here in Northwest Indiana and that this recognition is well deserved for the physicians and associates. “These are people who are truly committed to taking care of the people who live in our region; they are dedicated to quality treatment, the highest levels of care and the best possible outcomes,” he said. When Porter receives this type of recognition, the entire community benefits, Nalli said. “We are gratified that this hard work and dedication has paid off for the communities we serve,” Nalli said.