HEALTH CARE : Nationwide Survey Says Local Hospitals Are Among Best in Holding Down Costs

It may be little comfort to anyone who just got billed for a local hospital stay, but a recent national survey finds that Orange County hospitals do a better job of holding down operating costs than their peers across the country.

Seven local hospitals ranked among 50 hospitals rated best in the nation for managing costs, according to the trade journal, Modern Healthcare. The journal drew data from a KPMG Peat Marwick survey of 3,800 hospitals. Locally, FHP Hospital in Fountain Valley rated seventh; AMI Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, 23rd; West Anaheim Medical Center, 28th; St. Joseph Hospital, Orange, 41st; Martin Luther Hospital, Anaheim, 43rd; Los Alamitos Medical Center, 46th, and Huntington Beach Medical Center, 47th.

FHP Hospital, one of four hospitals that its Fountain Valley based parent, FHP International Corp., is trying to sell, hopes its high rating will help attract buyers. Kim Pham, the hospital’s acting administrator, attributed its low costs in part to a lean management team. Among other factors, she cited its practice of lowering the length of patient stays by encouraging certain surgery patients to go home four hours after a procedure.

An FHP spokeswoman said the company hasn’t yet reached an agreement to sell any of the four hospitals.