Breaking news!
The Joint Commission that accredits and certifies more than 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States has just released its 2012 Annual Report on Quality and Safety. In it is listed the top 620 hospital performers in quality and patient safety. This represents a big jump in number from the 405 hospitals that made the list last year.
No other Hospital in Louisville made the cut.
Sadly, only a single hospital in Louisville was on the list. Ironically, it is the only hospital in Louisville that is not a relentless self-promoter. I am referring to the Robley Rex Medical Center– our local Veterans Administration Hospital! I congratulate them as should we all.
There were a total of 18 hospitals from Kentucky listed among these top performers on key quality measures. I will have more to say as I analyze this brand-new document. It will be interesting to see to what extent the Joint Commission’s evaluation correlates with the safety and quality ratings from other organizations. Since all of America’s accredited hospitals have an obligation to report to the Joint Commission, its evaluation is arguably the most important.
More to come.
Peter Hasselbacher, M.D.
President, KHPI
Emeritus Professor of Medicine, UofL
19 September 2012