(December 5, 2012) Sellersville, PA - Grand View Hospital’s Orthopaedic program received a five-star rating from Healthgrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a hospital. The Joint Replacement Center, where more than 4,000 replacements of the hip, knee, shoulder, and ankle have been performed, received special Healthgrades recognition including: Five-Star for Joint Replacement in 2013 Five-Star for Total Knee Replacement in 2013 Five-Star for Total Hip Replacement for two years in a row (2012-2013) The findings are part of American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, which evaluates the performance of approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide across nearly 30 of the most common conditions and procedures. Healthgrades bases its objective measures solely on clinical performance.  “When it comes to orthopaedic care in the Philadelphia region, people have many options so we’re especially proud to be recognized among the best, not only locally, but also nationally,” said Grand View’s Medical Director Jane Ferry, MD. “Our entire orthopaedic team - the surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, home care, support staff, and other professionals - are focused on patient care and quality outcomes.” According to the Healthgrades report, a wide variation in quality exists among American hospitals. Patients were 61 percent less likely to experience a major in-hospital complication when being treated at a hospital receiving five stars when compared with hospitals receiving one star across a range of common procedures, such as total knee replacement, gallbladder, and spine surgeries. Paul Weidner, MD, Medical Director of the Joint Replacement Center remarked, “We offer the latest artificial joints like the rounded knee. Minimally invasive surgery using smaller incisions is standard in all procedures where possible.” Newly available at Grand View is the anterior hip approach.

It uses a special surgical table recently acquired by the hospital, which gives surgeons access to the hip joint from the patient’s front side. Unlike traditional hip surgery, the technique spares muscles, making rehabilitation and recovery quicker and easier. The anterior hip is one of several joint replacement options offered at Grand View. “People appreciate having access to the latest advances and quality care close to home,” Dr. Weidner said. “It makes the whole process easier for them.”

Earlier this year, Grand View’s commitment to safety and quality outcomes earned the Joint Replacement Center continued Gold Seal of Approval™ for its hip and knee replacement programs by The Joint Commission. According to coordinator Janice Hunsberger, RN, “Surveyors commended our program for using best practices to be modeled by other organizations.”

The Healthgrades study also found that from 2009 through 2011:

• A total of 183,534 in-hospital complications could have been avoided during hospital stays if all hospitals performed at a five-star level.
• Patients were 42 percent less likely to experience an in-hospital complication in hospitals receiving five stars versus all other hospitals.

For its 2013 hospital quality outcomes analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 40 million Medicare hospitalization records for services performed from 2009 through 2011 at approximately 4,500 short-term, acute care hospitals nationwide. Healthgrades independently measures hospitals based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of the analysis, and no hospital pays to be measured. Mortality and complication rates are risk adjusted, which takes into account each hospital’s unique population. The American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com/quality.

Healthgrades also released new research conducted by Harris Interactive that underscores the importance of educating consumers on clinical outcomes. According to the research, 88 percent of adults agree they have the necessary information to make an informed decision about either a physician or hospital. But most Americans are not aware that there is data available on the chance of dying at a hospital (55 percent) or complication rates (58 percent).

About Grand View Hospital
Grand View, Bucks County’s first hospital, has provided residents of Bucks and Montgomery counties with comprehensive health care services since 1913. Grand View offers a range of inpatient and outpatient care – particularly emphasizing the areas of surgery and orthopaedics, women’s and children's health, heart and vascular care, and cancer treatment. For more information about Grand View services and programs, visit www.gvh.org.