The Annual Thomson Reuters List Honors Cardiovascular Hospitals With Lower Rates of Mortalities, Complications CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 18
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedCath Corporation
(Nasdaq: MDTH) announced today that five of its hospitals have been honored as
part of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals(R) for cardiovascular care by Thomson
Reuters.
The list includes the Arizona Heart Hospital (Phoenix), the Louisiana
Medical Center and Heart Hospital (Lacombe, La.), the Avera Heart Hospital of
South Dakota (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Heart Hospital of Austin (Texas) and the
Harlingen Medical Center (Texas). Now in its tenth year, the study marks the
fifth time Arizona Heart Hospital has received the honor, the fourth time for
Heart Hospital of Austin and the third time for Avera Heart Hospital of South
Dakota.
The list, published online by Modern Healthcare magazine
(www.modernhealthcare.com), is based on hospitals' performance treating four
kinds of emergencies: heart failure, heart attacks, bypass surgeries and
angioplasties. Thomson Reuters examined the clinical outcomes of patients at
970 hospitals and found, for example, that the mortality rate for bypass
surgery was 26 percent lower in the 100 Top Hospitals. The study also found
that, on average, the top hospitals cost $1,542 less per case.
"These hospitals provide enormous value to their communities because heart
disease is still the nation's number one killer," Jean Chenoweth, senior vice
president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs in the
Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters, said in statement issued by Thomson
Reuters. "They have set the new national standard for cardiovascular disease
outcomes, process of care, efficiency, and lower costs."
Said MedCath CEO Ed French, "It's an honor that five of our nine hospitals
have received this prestigious ranking, because it recognizes the one measure
that matters most: quality care. Studies repeatedly show that our patient-
focused model has helped lead to lower mortality rates, shorter lengths of
stay and a higher rate of being discharged directly home. We're pleased that
these five hospitals, in particular, have been singled out for their
exceptional performance."
MedCath Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a healthcare
provider focused on high acuity services with the diagnosis and treatment of
cardiovascular disease being a primary service offering. MedCath owns an
interest in and operates nine hospitals with a total of 676 licensed beds,
located in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Dakota,
and Texas. MedCath is in the process of developing its tenth hospital, which
is anticipated to open in fall 2009, in Kingman, Ariz. In addition, MedCath
and its subsidiary MedCath Partners provide services in diagnostic and
therapeutic facilities in various states.
The Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters produces insights, information,
benchmarks and analysis that enable organizations to manage costs, improve
performance and enhance the quality of healthcare. Thomson Reuters is the
world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and
professionals. It combines industry expertise with innovative technology to
deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial,
legal, tax and accounting, scientific, healthcare and media markets, powered
by the world's most trusted news organization.
SOURCE MedCath Corporation
