Paradise Valley Hospital was one of three San Diego hospitals found to have low infection rates and other patient injuries, compared with peers.
In December, the federal government published a list of hospitals that were to be penalized for having high rates of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs). Paradise Valley Hospital and Alvarado Hospital (both part of the Prime Healthcare Services), along with Kaiser, had the lowest rates of HACs in San Diego. HACs include infections from catheters, blood clots, bed sores and other complications that are considered avoidable.
“Patient safety is imbedded in our culture—it is not just a checklist here,” said Chief Nursing Officer Gemma Rama-Bannag in regard to Paradise Valley’s success in keeping HACs rates low. “We encourage open communication to ensure everyone on the care team feels free to speak up to ensure safety protocols are being followed.”
Despite the announcement about penalized hospitals, the federal government said that the new national focus on patient safety has resulted in an overall decrease in HACs—there were 17% fewer HACs in 2013 than in 2010. It is estimated that this resulted in 50,000 fewer deaths.
Paradise Valley Hospital continues to garner national attention for its patient safety and quality. It is the only hospital in San Diego to be named a “Top Performer in Key Quality Measures” four years in a row by The Joint Commission and is ranked among the”Top 100 Hospitals” in the nation by Truven Health.
Eight area hospitals were penalized and will see a 1% reduction in Medicare payments over a one-year period.For a complete list of hospitals, visit click here.