Sutter Health Hospitals Among State's 8 Top Hospitals for Survival Rates after Heart Bypass Surgery

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April. 26, 2005 – Several hospitals in the Sutter Health family are among the state's eight top hospitals for survival rates after heart bypass surgery.

Mills-Peninsula Hospital, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center and Sutter Memorial Hospital, Sacramento each performed "significantly better than expected" in the study conducted by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) and Pacific Business Group on Health.

The results mean that the actual death rate of patients was lower than expected given the complexity of cases Sutter Health hospitals are treating.

"Patient safety is a top priority across our Sutter Health network. By participating in these types of studies, our hospitals can identify opportunities to improve care, increase safety and provide better outcomes for the patients we serve," said Gordon Hunt, M.D., chief medical officer for Sutter Health.

The report also found that death rates at hospitals that voluntarily report their heart bypass surgery outcomes were significantly lower than those at hospitals that declined to participate. Seventy-seven hospitals took part in the 200-2002 research study and had an average in-hospital death rate of 2.61 percent following heart bypass surgery. The other 44 California hospitals studied, in contrast, had a death rate of 3.35 percent during the same period.

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in this country, yet scientific evidence points to several key factors that can dramatically improve survival rates. These factors form the basis of Sutter Health's comprehensive program and treatment guidelines implemented by cardiac experts from throughout our network. Current research demonstrates the importance of aspirin and beta-blockers upon admission to and discharge from the hospital. According to our most recent data, our hospitals are performing above the national average on these measures.

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Contact
Kami Lloyd
Communications Coordinator, Internal and External Media
(916) 286-6680
LloydK@sutterhealth.org