El Centro, CA (May 8, 2018) – El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECRMC) announced today that it is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award™, a designation that recognizes superior performance of hospitals that have prevented the occurrence of serious, potentially avoidable complications for patients during hospital stays. The distinction places ECRMC among the top 10 percent of all short-term acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

During the 2014 to 2016 study period, Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals receiving the Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:

• 55.6 percent less likely to experience an accidental cut, puncture, perforation or hemorrhage during medical care, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals
• 52.4 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals
• 62.8 percent less likely to experience catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired at the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals
• 54.3 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals*

* Statistics are based on Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology, which is primarily constructed using AHRQ Technical Specifications version 5E applied to MedPAR data for years 2014 through 2016 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.

During the study period (2014 to 2016), Healthgrades 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals demonstrated excellent performance in safety provided for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) for 13 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

If all hospitals achieved the average performance of award recipients for each of the 13 Patient Safety Indicators evaluated, during the 2014 to 2016 study period, 126,342 patient safety events could have been avoided.

“Patient Safety is a top priority here at ECRMC. This award is a reflection of the entire team. Their daily dedication to patient safety and continuous improvement is what makes a difference for our patients.”, said Dr. Adolphe Edward, Chief Executive Officer of ECRMC.

“We applaud the hospitals who have received the Healthgrades 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades. “Their dedication and commitment to providing safe care creates tangible results for patients.”

In 2014 ECRMC created its first patient safety committee, Hospital Acquired Condition (HAC) team. The team focused on reducing infections related to the use of catheters in the hospital. Their efforts resulted in a 39% decrease in these infections within just 12 months. To enhance the team’s success in reducing patient infections, ECRMC collaborated in 2015 with the Hospital Engagement Network (HEN) and through the implementation of evidence- based practice, they were successful in reducing the infection rate even further.

Since the introduction of the first HAC team, 12 additional patient safety teams have started up at ECRMC. These teams ensure we are preventing serious, potentially preventable complications during hospital stays. The success of these teams have resulted in the improvement of the hospital’s patient safety quality metrics, leading to the 2018 Patient Safety Excellence Award.

“In additional to the numerous patient safety teams, ECRMC has also adopted the well-known Just Culture and TeamSTEPPS programs, both of which promote a culture of safety within the organization’” said Edward. “ECRMC has proven that they are dedicated to their patients and will continue to focus on patient safety and improving outcomes for patients receiving care here at the hospital,” he continued.

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About El Centro Regional Medical Center

ECRMC is an acute-care medical center, serving the health care needs of the Imperial Valley since 1956. In addition to the 161-bed hospital, ECRMC also owns and operates the Oncology & Hematology of Imperial Valley, Wound Healing Center and outpatient clinics in El Centro and Calexico. The outpatient centers provide exceptional primary and specialty care for residents seeking enhanced well-being and improved quality of life.