KCH Achieves ‘Top Performer’ Status

Kosciusko Community Hospital is one of five Lutheran Health Network hospitals named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by healthcare accreditor The Joint Commission.
KCH is one of 435 hospitals nationally to earn Top Performer recognition for the past three consecutive years, according to a release from the hospital. There are more than 3,300 Joint Commission-accredited hospitals.
KCH, Bluffton Regional Medical Center, Dupont Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital and The Orthopedic Hospital of Lutheran Health Network all were recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, the release states. Those conditions include heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, inpatient psychiatric services, stroke, venous thromboembolism, perinatal care, immunization, tobacco treatment and substance use. 
“Sharing, adopting and adhering to best practices is a hallmark of our network,” KCH CEO Kirk Ray is quoted as saying. “As a hospital that has recognized multiple times as a Top Performer, Kosciusko Community Hospital associates and physicians never stop working to improve experiences and outcomes for their patients.”
Each recognized LHN facility met specific thresholds for these key quality measures:
• KCH – heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and immunization
• Bluffton Regional Medical Center – pneumonia, surgical care and immunization
• Dupont Hospital – pneumonia, surgical care, immunization and perinatal care
• St. Joseph Hospital – heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, immunization and surgical care
• The Orthopedic Hospital – surgical care and immunization
The LHN facilities that were recognized are five of the 1,043 U.S. hospitals earning the distinction of Top Performer for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance during 2014, according to the release. Top Performer organizations represent just 31.5 percent of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals that reported accountability measure performance data last year.
“Delivering the right treatment in the right way at the right time is a cornerstone of high-quality health care,” said Mark R. Chassin, M.D., Joint Commission president. “I commend the efforts of these Lutheran Health Network facilities for their excellent performance on the use of evidence-based interventions.”

(Story By The Times Union)