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Providence gets high grades

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Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center received high marks this year for joint and total knee replacements and for gastrointestinal procedures and surgeries in a recent report released by Healthgrades, an independent source for physician information and hospital quality ratings.

For some other procedures, the hospital has gotten top honors for more than a year.

Providence has received high marks for coronary bypass surgery the past three years, according to the report.

And the hospital has gotten top honors for spine surgery for two years in row and for back-and-neck surgery the past three years.

Also new this year, Providence garnered high marks for treatment of diabetic acidosis and coma, the report states.

Michael Rembis, the chief executive at Providence, said the report provides vital information to the community.

“It’s valid and important to have a third party that has no relations with the hospital to provide this type of analysis,” he said.

Hospital outcomes and complication rates are important to consumers who are weighing their healthcare options, according to officials at Healthgrades, which used data from the federal government, hospitals and other sources to make its findings.

Rembis agreed. “In my opinion, we’re seeing more and more consumers spend time evaluating hospitals and physicians before they make their healthcare choices,” Rembis said. “I think that will continue.”

New research bears that out. According to a study conducted by Harris Interactive for Healthgrades, 90% of Americans in 27 top market areas said they would be more likely to choose — or not choose — a hospital if they could learn ahead of time their chances for complications for certain procedures.

“[The report] gives patients confidence when they make their healthcare decisions,’ Rembis said.

Follow Mark on Twitter @LAMarkKellam.

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