Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis today was named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health

Care organizations in America.  Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis was recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions.  The clinical processes focus on care for heart attack, pneumonia, surgery, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism, as well as inpatient psychiatric services.  New this year is a category for immunization for pneumonia and influenza.

Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis is one of 1,099 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance.  Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets: Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Pneumonia, Surgical Care.  The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2012 calendar year.  The list of Top Performer organizations increased by 77 percent from last year and it represents 33 percent of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals reporting accountability measure performance data for 2012.

Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis and each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must: 1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measures have a performance rate of 95 percent or above.  A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities.  Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice – examples include giving aspirin at arrival for heart attack patients, giving antibiotics on hour before surgery, or providing a home management plan of care for children with asthma.

“Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis and all the Top Performer hospitals have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to quality improvement and they should be proud of their achievement,” says Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president and chief executive officer, The Joint Commission.  “We have much to celebrate this year.  Nearly half of our accredited hospitals have attained or nearly attained the Top Performer distinction.  This truly shows that we are approaching a tipping point in hospital quality performance that will directly contribute to better health outcomes for patients.”

“We understand that what matters most to patients at Saint Francis Hospital–Memphis is safe, effective care.  That’s why Saint Francis has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes.  Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis is proud to receive the distinction of being a Joint Commission Top Performer on Key Quality Measures,” says David Archer, CEO.

In addition to being included in today’s release of The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org).  The Top Performer program will be featured in the December issues of The Joint Commission Perspectives and The Source.

About Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis

Saint Francis Hospital-Memphis is a 519-bed full service hospital located at 5959 Park Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee.  The hospital has been recognized for excellence of care by United Healthcare, CIGNA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and Aetna. Offering a wide array of medical services, Saint Francis is noted for its many Centers of Excellence, including its Center for Surgical Weight Loss, Sleep Center, Chest Pain Emergency Center, Heart & Vascular Center, Surgical Services, Diabetes Center, and Women’s Center. The Knee and Hip Replacement program and Stroke Center have received special certification by The Joint Commission.

Saint Francis Hospital serves as an academic training site for University of Tennessee Surgical, Family Practice, and Psychiatric Residents.  The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.  To learn more about Saint Francis Hospital, visit www.saintfrancishosp.com.