Prime Healthcare Hospitals Earn “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures®” Recognition from The Joint Commission

Prime Healthcare announced today that 16 of its hospitals were named Top Performer on Key Quality Measures® by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the nation. The hospitals were recognized as among the top in the nation by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes.

Prime Healthcare hospitals are among 1,043 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence. These Top Performer hospitals represent the best 31.5 percent of all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals reporting accountability measure performance data, and include general, critical access, children's, psychiatric, surgical and cardiac specialty hospitals.

In the state of California, Prime Healthcare had more hospitals earning this award for all five years of the program than any other hospital system. Six out of 10 Prime hospitals received this award year after year.

Prime Healthcare hospitals in California that received Joint Commission quality recognition this year, and over the past several years include:

• Centinela Hospital Medical Center (four times)
• Encino Hospital Medical Center (five times)
• Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center (four times)
• Huntington Beach Hospital (four times)
• La Palma Intercommunity Hospital (five times)
• Paradise Valley Hospital (five times)
• San Dimas Community Hospital (two times)
• Shasta Regional Medical Center (five times)
• West Anaheim Medical Center (four times)

Other Prime Healthcare hospitals throughout the United States that received recognition include:

• Kansas: Saint John Hospital (three times)
• Nevada: St. Mary's Medical Center
• New Jersey: St. Mary's Hospital (three times)
• Texas: Dallas Regional Medical Center (three times) and Harlingen Medical Center (3 times)
• Pennsylvania: Lower Bucks Hospital and Roxborough Memorial Hospital (two times).

Top hospitals were recognized for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children's asthma, stroke, venous thromboembolism and perinatal care, as well as for inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2014 calendar year.

"Prime Healthcare is a physician-driven and patient-focused organization with a commitment to providing the highest quality of care to every patient," said Prem Reddy, M.D., FACC, FCCP, Chairman, President and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services. "This recognition by The Joint Commission reflects the excellence and dedication of our physicians, nurses and staff to providing exceptional care that is recognized as the best in the nation."

Prime Healthcare, and the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation, employ nearly 40,000 people and own and operate 38 acute care hospitals in 11 states. Prime Healthcare was recognized as a Top 15 Health System in the nation and is named the fastest growing health system in the United States by Modern Healthcare. Prime Healthcare hospitals have received numerous accolades over the years from Leapfrog, US News & World Report, Healthgrades, and other organizations.

"Quality is at the core of our mission. I commend each and every physician, nurse and employee for their outstanding efforts and treatment of patients," said Hassan Alkhouli, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Prime Healthcare, Orange County, California. "We are honored to receive this award for excellence that reflects our diligent focus on providing safe, effective and outstanding care and service to patients who put their trust in us."

Each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures must: 1) achieve cumulative performance of 95 percent or above across all reported accountability measures; 2) achieve performance of 95 percent or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there are at least 30 denominator cases; and 3) have at least one core measure set that has a composite rate of 95 percent or above, and within that measure set all applicable individual accountability measures have a performance rate of 95 percent or above.

In addition to being included in today's release of The Joint Commission's "America's Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety" annual report, these hospitals will be recognized on The Joint Commission's Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org).

About Prime Healthcare Services and Foundation:

Prime Healthcare Services is an award-winning national hospital system with 38 acute-care hospitals providing more than 40,000 jobs in 11 states. Seven of the hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity. Based in California and one of the largest hospital systems in the country, Prime Healthcare is committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare. It has been recognized as among the "100 Top Hospitals" in the nation 33 times and among the "15 Top Health Systems" three times, and is the only "10 Top Health System" west of the Mississippi. Our hospitals have been recognized by The Joint Commission among the "Top Performers on Key Quality Measures" in 2014. For more information, please visit www.primehealthcare.com