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WHAT'S NEW HEALTHGRADES STUDY RATES SAINT AGNES MEDICAL CENTER 5-STAR
FOR TREATMENT OF HEART ATTACK
Saint Agnes Medical Center is the only 5-Star rated hospital for the Treatment of Heart Attack in the Fresno Area, according to a comprehensive annual study released October 13 by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. The HealthGrades study annually assesses patient outcomes – mortality and complication rates – at virtually all of the nation’s nearly 5,000 nonfederal hospitals.
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According to the twelfth annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America study top-rated hospitals had a 52 percent lower mortality rate than the U.S. national average when looking at the patient outcomes of 17 procedures and diagnoses ranging from bypass surgery to treatment for heart attack. When the top-rated hospitals were compared to the poorest performers, there was an even greater difference, 72 percent lower mortality. Saint Agnes has achieved other notable heart attack care achievements in recent years, including being named a Mentor Hospital for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), otherwise known as heart attack, by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Saint Agnes shares this distinction with 37 hospitals nationwide – and only three in California. Saint Agnes has also achieved stellar door-to-balloon (D2B) times – the time from when a heart attack patient enters the Emergency Department through the time it takes to open the blocked artery. The sooner blood flow can be restored, the less permanent damage to the heart. At Saint Agnes, the average D2B time for 2009 is 55 minutes, with a Saint Agnes record of 14 minutes. The national recommendation by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association is 90 minutes. Additionally, Saint Agnes was a recipient of the 2009/2010 Maternity Care Excellence Award and Ranked among the Top 5% in the nation for Maternity Care in The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women’s Health in American Hospitals study released in June 2009. Further underscoring its quality work in women’s health, Saint Agnes has been rated 5-Star for Maternity Care five years in a row (2005 & 2006/2007-2009/2010). The new 2010 HealthGrades hospital ratings are posted on HealthGrades’ public Web site, www.healthgrades.com.
Posted October 13 , 2009
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SAINT AGNES MEDICAL CENTER GOES 14 FOR 14
AS CONSUMER CHOICE AWARD WINNER
For the 14th consecutive year, Valley residents chose Saint Agnes Medical Center as a National Consumer Choice Award winner. Saint Agnes was one of a select group of hospitals nationwide to receive the 2009/10 award for overall quality and image, and is one of only 42 hospitals to receive this distinction 14 years in a row.
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| This distinction is based on the Healthcare Market Guide conducted by National Research Corporation (NRC) of more than 250,000 households representing 450,000 people. This is the 14th year that NRC has named the top hospitals in markets throughout the United States, and the 14th year that Saint Agnes has been selected among the winners. “This vote of confidence is a testament to our staff and physicians, who have dedicated their lives to improving the health and wellbeing of Valley residents by providing excellent health care,” said Thomas Anderson, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, Saint Agnes Medical Center. Saint Agnes is proud to share this Consumer Choice distinction with some of the nation’s finest healthcare facilities, including Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. NRC is a recognized industry leader with more than two decades of experience in healthcare performance measurement and improvement. The Healthcare Market Guide is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive study of its kind.
Posted October 13 , 2009
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PATIENT REGISTRATION SELF CHECK-IN KIOSKS
Saint Agnes is pleased to be the first hospital in the Valley to introduce our new Self Check-In Kiosks to the patient registration area. It took months of planning and testing before going "live" September 15. And so far, the reception among patients and families has been extremely positive! The kiosks are designed to expedite the care experience by allowing inpatients and outpatients who have preregistered for their visit to quickly and conveniently check themselves in, rather than stand in line. Using the touchscreen technology, patients can even complete paperwork and consent forms electronically. For added convenience, patients also have the option of making their co-pay upon self check-in. With the simple swipe of a credit card, the kiosk instantly posts the payment to the patient's account and generates a receipt. To better serve our diverse population, the kiosk service is available in English, Spanish and Hmong. Patients who prefer to check in with one of our friendly registrars may continue to do so. To see how easy it is to use this new tool, view the Patient Kiosk Demo.
Posted October 7, 2009
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NEW TECHNOLOGY DEBUTS AT THE SAINT AGNES CANCER CENTER Cancer treatment options have taken another leap forward. In August 2009, Saint Agnes Cancer Center had its first patient undergo treatment with its new Trilogy® Rapid Arc linear accelerator. The Trilogy Rapid Arc combines imaging and radiation therapy in one device, giving patients access to both conventional treatments (smaller doses over several weeks) and stereotactic treatments (higher doses for smaller lesions or tumors over a shorter period of time). With the Trilogy, clinicians can take an image as the patient is being treated, so they know exactly where the tumor is. This helps target the tumor more precisely and protect healthy surrounding tissue. The system also incorporates technology that synchronizes treatment with the patient's natural breathing cycle. Patients can breathe normally and be confident that the dose is being delivered only when the tumor is in the right place. The Trilogy also delivers doses at least 60 percent faster than conventional accelerators, which improves accuracy and patient comfort. "This state-of-the-art equipment provides us with tremendous versatility and precision for customizing treatments according to the specifics of each patient's case," says Li Liu, MD, medical director of Radiation Oncology Services. "Along with the Medical Center's comprehensive stereotactic radiosurgery program, which is the first and only one of its kind in the Central Valley, local patients have the best cancer-fighting technology right in their own backyard." With the first Trilogy Rapid Arc now in use, construction will begin to prepare for the installation of the second Trilogy linear accelerator. Posted October 7, 2009 ____________________ |
TRINITY HEALTH RANKS IN TOP 10
OF U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS Trinity Health, the parent company of Saint Agnes Medical Center and the fourth largest Catholic health system in the country, was recently named one of the nation's best performing hospital systems for the delivery of safe, high-quality services. Trinity Health is one of the 10 top-ranked health systems listed in the Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals® Health Systems Quality/Efficiency Study. This study reviewed 252 health systems (with a total of 1,720 hospitals) on five measures of clinical quality and efficiency: mortality, complications, patient safety, length of stay, and use of evidence-based practices. The top 10 benchmark systems represent the top 2.5 percent of the systems studied. "Trinity Health is among the top quality performers in the nation," said Joseph Swedish, President and CEO of Trinity Health, "because of the magnificent commitment of the physicians, nurses and associates at all our member hospitals to making continuous improvements in quality and safety." As a member of Trinity Health, Saint Agnes Medical Center leverages the collective clinical knowledge and best care practices of 45 hospitals across the country to improve the quality, safety and satisfaction of patients throughout the course of their care. Posted October 7, 2009 ____________________ |
 | | Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Hollingsworth |
TUNE IN FOR HEALTH WATCH From tips on diet and stress relief to guidelines for livesaving screenings, Saint Agnes Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Nancy Hollingsworth shares all as the new radio voice of K-JEWEL Health Watch. Health Watch airs twice daily on 99.3 FM, Monday through Friday, with new topics to help Valley residents lead healthier, happier lives. Posted October 7, 2009 ____________________ |
A.D.A.M. HEALTH LIBRARY NEW ADDITION TO WEB SITE Check out the interactive health content recently added to our Web site's Health Info section. Besides offering an expanded health library in both English and Spanish, the new A.D.A.M. content includes Reuter's health news, educational videos, in-depth reports on diseases and conditions, care guides, health-risk assessments, an interative symptom checker, plus drug notes and a drug interaction tool. |
Detailed medical illustrations accompany most of the articles, enhancing the clinical content. The DecisionAssist feature helps explain healthcare options for each condition profiled, describing the type of tests or surgery involved, usual medications prescribed, and questions to ask your physician. Other features include topic centers organized by condition and age demographic, wellness tools (BMI calculator, calorie counter, ideal weight, target heart rate, waist-to-hip ratio), plus a comprehensive review of alternative and complementary medicine.
Posted May 19, 2009
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VALLEY RESIDENTS NAME SAINT AGNES "BEST HOSPITAL" Our community has given Saint Agnes another vote of confidence. The Medical Center was recently voted “Best Hospital” in The Fresno Bee’s Central Valley People’s Choice Awards 2009. Results were published in a special section of the paper Sunday, March 29. All votes were tabulated by an independent marketing company from a grand total of 108,894 individual votes mailed in and submitted online at FresnoBee.com.
This is the fifth consecutive year that Saint Agnes has won this distinction – a perfect score for the Medical Center – having won every year since the awards began. It's a distinction we are proud of and a credit to every member of our talented and dedicated team. But the best reward is seeing our patients return to their loved ones healthy and happy.
Posted April 2, 2009
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