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Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital announced today it is #1 in Georgia for Vascular Surgery according to a new report from Healthgrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital. Phoebe Putney is also among the top 5% nationally and a recipient of the Healthgrades Vascular Surgery Excellence Award for the 4^th consecutive year.

The report, American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, evaluates how approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide performed on risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for nearly 30 of the most common conditions treated and procedures performed from 2009 through 2011.

In its study published today, Healthgrades found that patients have a 75% lower risk of dying when treated at a hospital receiving 5 stars than if they were treated at a hospital receiving 1 star, based on risk-adjusted mortality rates across 18 common procedures and diagnoses, such as heart bypass surgery, stroke, and pneumonia. Healthgrades also found that 235,378 lives could have been saved during 2009-2011 if all hospitals performed at a 5-star level.

Making objective measures of hospital quality more publicly available is imperative for helping consumers make more informed provider decisions. According to new research conducted by Harris Interactive for Healthgrades, 89% of Americans in 27 top designated market areas believe hospital performance (defined as how well patients do at that hospital compared to others) is important but only 37% know where to find the information.

Notable Healthgrades recognitions include:

Vascular

·         Recipient of the Healthgrades Vascular Surgery Excellence Award™ for 4 Years in a Row (2010-2013)

·         Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Vascular Surgery in 2013

·         Ranked #1 in GA for Vascular Surgery in 2013

·         Ranked Among the Top 5 in GA for Vascular Surgery for 5 Years in a Row (2009-2013) Five-Star Recipient for Vascular Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2012-2013)

·         Five-Star Recipient for Carotid Surgery for 2 Years in a Row (2012-2013)

·         Five-Star Recipient for Peripheral Vascular Bypass for 4 Years in a Row (2010-2013)

“This designation in vascular surgery demonstrates excellence,” said Joe Austin chief operating officer at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.  "It’s indicative of the outstanding efforts of our surgeons and the entire Phoebe team who focus on the quality of care for our patients.”     

Dan Martin, MD., medical director of the vascular program, said the focus on quality initiatives has been key in achieving recognition for quality. “We are protocol-driven because we know improvement requires consistency,” he said. “A team approach to care allows us to manage cases with clinical outcomes in mind.”

Healthgrades independently measures hospitals based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being measured, and no hospital pays to be measured. Healthgrades risk adjusts for patient demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors, thereby taking into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital. 

More information on the American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com/quality.

About Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is a 443-bed tertiary care hospital located in Albany, Ga. It is the largest facility in Phoebe Putney Health System which serves residents in more than 30 counties in South Georgia through its six hospitals and multiple clinics.