Published: October 13, 2009 11:20 pm      

Hospitals receive accolades

Ashland — King’s Daughters Medical Center and Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital each received high marks from HealthGrades, the leading independent health care ratings organization.

In an annual study, HealthGrades rated King’s Daughters in the top 5 percent in cardiac surgery and top 10 percent in pulmonary care in the nation.

Bellefonte was ranked among the top five in Kentucky for gastrointestinal surgery and services.

King’s Daughters received five-star ratings in cardiac surgery, coronary bypass surgery, valve replacement surgery, overall pulmonary services, vascular surgery, peripheral vascular bypass and treatment of heart failure, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism and respiratory failure.

It was the recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Surgery and Pulmonary Care Excellence awards and was ranked among the top 10 in Kentucky for overall pulmonary services and the top five in Kentucky for cardiac surgery.

Bellefonte received five-star ratings in several clinical areas, including gastrointestinal procedures, services and surgery and treatment of heart failure, pneumonia, sepsis and respiratory failure.

The 12th annual Hospital Quality in America study is the largest annual report of its kind and analyzes patient outcomes in nearly 40 million Medicare hospitalization records from 5,000 hospitals during 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The study found an approximately 72 percent lower chance of dying in a five-star rated hospital compared to a one-star rated hospital and a 52 percent lower chance of dying in a five-star hospital compared to the national average.

The ratings are posted at www.healthgrades.com.