For Immediate Release
February 28, 2005
Contact: Mary Jane Gore
(434) 924-9241
mjgore@virginia.edu

UVA MEDICAL CENTER RANKS AS ONE OF THE NATION’S TOP 100 HOSPITALS

The University of Virginia Medical Center is the only Virginia hospital to be ranked among the nation’s top 100 hospitals, according to Solucient’s 100 Top Hospitals: National Benchmarks for Success study. In addition, the Medical Center was one of only 15 major teaching hospitals to receive the award for the year 2004. This is the sixth year the Medical Center has received the honor.

“I’m extremely proud of the ability of our faculty and staff to provide the best patient care. Their work continues to build the Medical Center ’s reputation as one of the premier hospitals to turn to for medical care in the United States ,” said R. Edward Howell, vice president and chief executive officer of the U.Va. Medical Center .

The award recognizes hospitals that have achieved excellence in quality of care, operational efficiency, financial performance and adaptation to the environment. The study appears in a special supplement to the Feb. 28 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine.

Among the study’s key findings:           

  • The 100 Top Hospitals treated sicker patients with fewer staff, yet had better patient outcomes.
  • Salary and benefits were $1,900 per year higher per full-time staff member at benchmark hospitals than at peer hospitals.
  • On average, benchmark hospitals released their patients nearly half a day earlier than peer hospitals.

"The new benchmark hospitals have set the bar much higher for patient outcomes, patient safety, operational performance and improved value for the community," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president of Solucient's Center for Healthcare Improvement, which is responsible for the 100 Top Hospitals program. "To achieve these new benchmarks, the whole organization — not just one clinical service line — must be aligned to achieve performance improvement goals.”

Because it has been recognized four or more times, UVa Medical Center is also one of Solucient’s “best” benchmark hospitals. These hospitals form a very select group and academic researchers will be studying them to learn more about consistently high-performing hospitals, their management and clinical practices, and their governance practices.

According to Solucient, the performance consistency of these hospitals provides their communities with extremely reliable care. These are hospitals that have successfully instilled the concept of performance improvement in all employees, physicians, and managers. The beneficiaries are the patients they serve and their families.

More information on this study and other 100 Top Hospitals research is available at www.100tophospitals.com. Copies of the 100 Top Hospitals report can be purchased by calling Solucient at 1-800-568-3282 or logging on to www.100tophospitals.com.

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