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Utah Hospital Heart Care Rated High

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 May 2006, 12:03 CDT

By Carey Hamilton, The Salt Lake Tribune

May 17--From 2002 to 2004, the percentage of heart failure patients who died at most Utah hospitals was equal to or lower than the national standard, a new report shows.

The Utah Department of Health released the report Tuesday to help consumers compare Utah hospitals' heart care, based on cost, quality and patient safety.

"The department is committed to publishing reports that will enable patients and families to become more actively involved in their health care," said David Sundwall, the health department's executive director.

The heart report tracked factors such as in-hospital mortality, average charges, length of stay and how frequently each hospital performs specific heart procedures.

The 2005 Legislature passed a bill requiring the Health Data Committee to publish annual reports that compare hospitals.

The committee appointed 20 members -- including consumers, hospitals, health professionals and public health agencies -- to serve on a task force to develop the reports.

The first report compared the quality and safety of maternity and newborn care; the heart report is the second.

Overall, Utah hospitals had about as many in-hospital deaths as other U.S. hospitals for heart bypass surgery, in which surgeons make new routes around narrow or blocked arteries, and balloon angioplasty, in which doctors insert a small balloon to open narrow or blocked blood vessels.

Most, but not all, Utah hospitals performed as well as or above other U.S. hospitals in treating heart attack and heart failure patients. However, Davis Hospital and Medical Center in Layton had more deaths than expected when it came to heart attacks and heart failure.

"The report is accurate because it's numbers we've sent in," said Doug Boudreaux, spokesman with IASIS Healthcare, which operates Davis and three other Utah hospitals. "But what the report doesn't take into account is who our patients really are. About three-quarters of the deaths at Davis Hospital were [people in] either hospice care or who had do-not-resuscitate orders."

Fillmore Hospital also was below average for heart failure deaths.

Ogden Regional and IHC's Alta View Hospital in Sandy had fewer deaths than expected.

If patients at one of IHC's smaller hospitals become extremely ill, they are referred to the advanced care regional centers, which are LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George and McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden.

LDS Hospital's two largest competitors -- St. Mark's Hospital and University Hospital in Salt Lake City -- had as many deaths as expected in the different categories.

COMPARING HEART CARE

What it is: A report by the Utah Department of Health comparing heart care among Utah hospitals.

What it measures: Deaths after heart bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty, heart attacks and heart failure. It also tracks the costs for procedures.

Where to find it: http://www.health.utah.gov/myhealthcare.

AVERAGE UTAH HOSPITAL CHARGES

$7,042 to $14,325 among 15 Utah hospitals for heart catheterization patients with coronary artery disease, in which blood vessels are blocked or narrow.

$40,278 to $63,558 among eight Utah hospitals for heart bypass surgery patients requiring heart catheterization.

$53,854 to $73,953 among seven Utah hospitals for heart valve patients requiring heart catheterization.

Source: Utah Department of Health

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Salt Lake Tribune

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Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

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