The Maryland Joint Commission Quality Report ranks Civista 6th in the State

Measuring and reporting quality healthcare is a complex issue that has been debated across the medical industry nationwide. One method of reporting data is primarily designed to evaluate the cost of patient care. This was the case for the report quoted in the article (“Report calls Civista below average”, Maryland Independent, March 4). Core Measures were developed by doctors, nurses and experts in patient safety and quality to measure healthcare quality. Research shows that care that is driven and measured by this evidenced-based medicine results in the best outcomes for patients. The Joint Commission is an independent organization that accredits and certifies more than 18,000 health care organizations in the U.S. and is recognized as a symbol for quality performance standards. Along with other nationally recognized organizations including the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Joint Commission measures quality in hospitals across the country based on these recognized indicators called Core Measures. The measures are based upon factors which have been shown to make a difference in how patients do, when they come into a hospital with serious and common conditions like pneumonia, heart failure, heart attack and childhood asthma, or when they undergo surgery.

At Civista, we agree that these measures make a real difference in the quality of your healthcare and that is why we are very proud that in the Quality Report for the 4^th quarter 2010 issued by the Joint Commission, measuring the composite of 27 quality measures, Civista Medical Center ranked in the top 6 hospitals in the state of Maryland.

At Civista Medical Center, we are dedicated to excellent quality care for every patient, every time. To that end, the hospital has implemented many, successful initiatives to ensure the best care for you and your family. The results have been significant and overall, Civista Medical Center’s focus on a culture of safety has resulted in a quality score better than the state average for all Maryland hospitals.

In this age of transparency of an organization’s quality performance, it is critical that articles quoting data are clearly understood and accurately reported. Your healthcare decisions are too important. It is unfortunate that the report chosen for the Independent article, which does not reflect performance on the Core Measures and is not designed to drive improvements in patient care, was represented as such.

We invite you to review Civista’s quality rating for yourself in the Quality Report provided by the Joint Commission. You can also visit the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website for information regarding hospital’s performance in the core quality measures.

Our community should know that every aspect of your care is analyzed, each time you enter our facility, throughout your diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Civista Medical Center is proud of our quality rating with the top hospitals in the state and we will continue to work to provide the highest quality for every patient, every time.