Henry Low Heart Center Annual Report, 2007 - Hartford Hospital!

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Best-Of-List Two State Hospitals On ‘Best-Of’ List. Hartford Hospital, St. Vincent’s Rate High In 30-Day Heart Attack Survival, June 23, 2007 WHERE SHOULD YOU GO IF YOU’RE HAVING A HEART ATTACK? FINALLY, THERE’S AN ANSWER. Hartford Hospital named one of 17 sites in the country Hartford Hospital is among a tiny percentage of US hospitals—.4%, or only 17 nation-wide—that scored “Better Than US National Rate” in a new comparison of heart attack mortality rates. On June 21 the federal government released a study of how the nation’s hospitals perform when it comes to saving heart attack patients. This was the first time in nearly 20 years that the government undertook such an initiative. The rankings compared almost 4,500 hospitals and were released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The results were divided into three categories: “Better Than US National Rate,” “ No Different Than US National Rate,” or “Worse Than US National Rate.” The data show that only 17 hospitals scored better than the national death rate in the 30-day period following a heart attack. In Connecticut, only Hartford Hospital and a hospital in Fairfield County were ranked in the top category. What makes Hartford Hospital’s cardiac program so good? Comprehensive care: 24-hour catheterization lab operated Leading-edge imaging capability by physicians who do nothing else Extensive cardiac surgery experience A dedicated angioplasty ICU The Chest Pain Center Superior Emergency Department “front door” Heart transplantation/VAD program 24/7 ON-SITE SPECIALISTS in more areas provide critical service when they’re most needed. HARTFORD’S ONLY LEVEL 1 TRAUMA CENTER is home to fast, critical care like LIFE STAR air ambulance. www.hartfordhospital.org/heart THE FIRST 64-SLICE SCANNER IN THE STATE captures detailed 3-D images in just five heartbeats Congratulations to our superb cardiac clinicians and staff. By WILLIAM HATHAWAY, Courant Staff Writer. Survival rates for heart attack patients were among the best in the nation at Hartford Hospital and St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, according to a new database placed online by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. No Connecticut hospitals were ranked among the nation’s seven worst - only seven had numbers statistically significant enough to make a “worst” list - according to the latest addition to the website, designed to give consumers more information about the quality and cost of care at local hospitals. The two Connecticut hospitals were ranked among the top 17 of nearly 4,500 hospitals surveyed on the percentage of patients who survive 30 days after a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, according to HHS. It was the first such ranking published by HHS after decades of objections from many hospital officials, who felt release of the data might mislead the public. “We have been building a comprehensive program for many years and are delighted to see our efforts reflected in these results. It’s no surprise to us that our physicians, nurses and clinical staff rank among the best in the country,” said Dr. Paul Thompson, director of cardiology at Hartford Hospital. But the data did not make distinctions between the great majority of the nation’s hospitals. More than 99 percent of hospitals, including all others in Connecticut, were lumped into the category “not significantly different than the national average.” All Connecticut hospitals fell into the average category when survival from heart failure - a separate category from heart attack - was measured. “In this first year of reporting, [Centers for Medicaid Preventive care And, most importantly, skilled and dedicated Services, an HHS agency] took a very conservative approach to identifying better and worse hospitals,” an HHS doctors, nurses, APA/NPs, PCAs, PAAs and other support staff spokeswoman explained. “We wanted to be highly certain that we were describing performance accurately and in a way consumers understand. So we only put hospitals in the worse or better category if we are very certain of the results - that is, the results have a high level of statistical significance.” Twenty-one hospital health care measures A CARDIAC CATH LAB THAT NEVER CLOSES staffed only by are currently available on the website for consumers to view, including: eight measures related to heart attack cardiac catheterization specialists. care, four measures related to heart failure care, seven measures related to pneumonia care, and two related to surgical infection prevention. The website also contains information on hospital pricing and patient volume and is run by the Centers for Medicaid Services, an agency of HHS. Hartford Hospital is a not-for-profit charitable organization that relies on tax deductible contributions to help support its mission. MORE WAYS TO MAKE YOU BETTER ṢM
Stop Smoking for Life Program Receives Grant from Department of Public Health Hartford Hospital was one of nine agencies in Connecticut to receive a grant from the Department of Public Health in 2007 to support a smoking cessation program for people who are uninsured or are insured by Medicaid and Medicare. Counseling is provided in group or individual sessions and free nicotine replacement is provided. The program provides up to two months of nicotine patches or gum to tobacco users and works collaboratively with smoking cessation specialists at CT QuitLine, 1-866-END- HABIT (1-866-363-4224), Connecticut’s free tobacco help line. “There has been a great deal of interest in this program,” states Jeremy Barbagallo, LPC, manager of the Stop Smoking for Life Program at Hartford Hospital. “More than 70 people registered for the program in a matter of months.” Connecticut residents have been very enthusiastic about this program as it has allowed them to access free treatment for nicotine dependence. Marie Perry, a 63- year-old Hartford resident, was one of the participants in this grant program. “I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me quit smoking. I’ve tried to quit so many times before, but could never afford the patches. This program really gave me hope.” Hartford Hospital was one of nine agencies in Connecticut to receive a grant from the Department of Public Health in 2007.
Page 1 and 2: 2007 ANNUAL REPORT REBUILDING THE H
Page 3 and 4: Introduction It is with great pleas
Page 5: Henry Low Heart Center Retreat Phys
Page 9 and 10: Evidence-Based Practice Center Gran
Page 11 and 12: 23rd Annual Cardiovascular Symposiu
Page 13 and 14: Cardiology College: Only at Hartfor
Page 15 and 16: Hartford Hospital, Division of Card
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Page 19: Hartford Hospital is a not-for-prof

Henry Low Heart Center Annual Report, 2007 - Hartford Hospital!

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