(February 13, 2013) Sellersville, PA - Grand View Hospital is a five-star hospital in cardiac treatment according to a new report from Healthgrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital. Grand View’s Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, which specializes in medical and interventional cardiology, vascular care, and stroke care, received Healthgrades recognition including:

• Five-Star Quality Rating for Treatment of Heart Attack, 2013
• Five-Star Quality Rating for Treatment of Heart Failure, 2008-2013 (one of only three hospitals in the region with a 5-star rating six consecutive years – includes Philadelphia; Camden, New Jersey; Wilmington, Delaware; and Maryland)

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.

“We are especially proud of our cardiovascular team,” Grand View CEO Jean Keeler said. “Recognition in the treatment of heart attack and heart failure is a testament to an extraordinary commitment to patient care and quality outcomes.” The Cardiovascular Center of Excellence is equipped with advanced medical technology used in the diagnosis and treatment of heart and vascular disease. It helps people manage risk factors and provides both surgical and non-surgical vascular intervention. The Center includes the David M. Flowers, MD, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.”It’s one of our greatest tools in the fight against heart disease,” according to interventional cardiologist Doyle Walton, MD, of Alderfer Travis Cardiology. He and a specially trained team perform cardiac catheterization, angioplasty, and stenting procedures there. “The cath lab gives us early intervention options and life-saving treatment right at Grand View.”

“Education can make a big difference in preventing another event,” adds Dr. Christopher Oswald of Buxmont Cardiology Associates. “We monitor our heart patients after discharge to help ensure they’re properly following instructions. They receive counseling on lifestyle changes that can significantly improve their heart health like eating right, getting proper fluids, exercising, and quitting smoking.”

Another element of the Cardiovascular Center of Excellence is a comprehensive stroke care program. Grand View is a Primary Stroke Center with Gold Seal Certification by The Joint Commission, designated as such for meeting highest national stroke care standards. Care includes prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation services designed to give stroke patients the best possible recovery.

Other recent notable Healthgrades’ recognition Grand View received includes:

• Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence, 2013
• Outstanding Patient Experience Award four years in a row, 2009/2010-2012
• Five-Star Recipient for Joint Replacement, Total Hip Replacement, and Total Knee Replacement, 2013
• Recipient of the Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award, 2013
• 5-Star Recipient for GI Procedures and Surgeries Three Years in a Row, 2011-2013

Hospital outcomes and complication rates are important in the eyes of consumers making choices today about their healthcare. According to new research conducted by Harris Interactive for Healthgrades, 90 percent of Americans in 27 top designated market areas agree they would be more likely to choose—or not choose—a hospital if they could learn ahead of time their chances of complications for a certain procedure.

According to the 2013 Healthgrades Report to the Nation, patients being treated at a five-star hospital have, on average, a 61 percent lower risk of experiencing an in-hospital complication than if they were treated at a one-star hospital (based on 2009-2011 data across nine common procedures and diagnoses such as total knee replacement, gallbladder, and spine surgeries). Additionally, a total of 183,534 in-hospital complications could have potentially been avoided if all hospitals performed at a five-star level. The 2013 Healthgrades hospital quality outcomes are posted online and are free to the public at www.healthgrades.com. 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. Healthgrades risk adjusts for patient demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors, thereby taking into account how sick patients are upon admission. 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 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. Now a century strong, 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.