Report shows Sierra View with improved ratings

Sierra View District Hospital showed improvement in three critical areas over the previous year, a state agency reported.

The report, prepared by the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, compared death rates in 384 Valley Hospitals from 2006 and 2007, in eight categorical procedures.

Sierra View placed at the bottom of the rung for deaths resulting from acute stroke, but still demonstrated improvement over 2006.

Patricia Becker, administrative director of performance improvement, talked about the hospital’s continued efforts to improve.

“We worked very hard to improve over the 2006 report,” Becker said, “and we see the results in this report. Even in the area of acute strokes, where we are low, we made vast improvements. We will continue to do so.”

The average percentage of deaths at Sierra View from acute stroke in 2007 was 16.8 percent, an improvement over the 2006 percentage rate of 17.6 percent.

The state’s 2007 average mortality rate for acute stroke is 10.4 percent.

Tulare District Hospital nudged Sierra View into last place in the acute stroke category by a tenth of a percentage point, with a 16.7 percent rating.

Kaweah Delta District Hospital scored the third lowest with a percentage of 13.9 in the same category.

In 2006, Sierra View received a “worse” rating in acute stroke, hip fracture and carotid endarterectomy.

Not so in 2007.

The other five areas addressed in the report include measuring death from esophageal resection, pancreatic resection, craniotomy, gastro intestinal hemorrhage, and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

The ratings are based on risk-adjusted mortality rates and quality ratings.

“What that means,” Becker said, “is that the mortality rates are adjusted in consideration of other elements. For example, a patient may have had an acute stroke complicated by diabetes or another [ailment] that may have made death unavoidable.

“Patient may have had a stroke at home, and been taken to the hospital and then died. Risk-adjustment takes all that in consideration. The patient did not die from poor patient care.”

Some hospitals are negatively affected because they may care for sicker patients than others, or, the report shows, a percentage may appear to be higher because fewer procedures were handled.

Sierra View CEO Dennis Coleman said he is pleased with the continued improvement, but, he said, he, administration and hospital staff are never satisfied and always strive to do better.

“We want our people to feel this is a safe place where they can come and receive the help and support they need,” Coleman said. “The report shows our efforts are being met successfully, but we will do better next year with all the improvements we’ve put in place.”

Those improvements include hiring neurology and other specialists, and practicing the American Medical Associations’ Best Practices.

-- Contact Anita Stackhouse-Hite at 784-5000, Ext. 1043, or astackhouse-hite@portervillerecorder.com.