Staff reports
The Weirton Daily Times
WEIRTON, W.Va. — Weirton Medical Center has been named a 5-Star recipient for vaginal and C-section delivery by Healthgrades, an online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, officials have announced.
The rating indicates the hospital’s clinical outcomes are statistically significantly better than expected when treating the condition or performing the procedure being evaluated, officials said.
“We are very pleased that our efforts to provide safe, effective and comprehensive care to our obstetrical patients have been recognized by Healthgrades,” said Dr. Rachel Gilman, OB/GYN. “At WMC, our obstetricians care for a high-risk population in collaboration with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. With this approach, we ensure a safe delivery for both mothers and babies.”
“Consumers place high-quality outcomes at the top of their wish list when selecting a hospital, so health systems that have achieved this particular distinction stand out among their peers,” said Dr. Brad Bowman, chief medical officer of Healthgrades. “Especially in an environment where consumers have more choices than ever before about where to receive care, a hospital’s commitment to achieving high-quality outcomes for their patients is more important than ever.”
To help consumers evaluate and compare hospital performance, Healthgrades analyzed all-payer state data for 17 states for a period ranging from 2013-15. It found a significant variation in hospital quality between those that received five stars and those that did not, according to officials.
For example, from 2013 through 2015, patients having a C-section delivery in hospitals that earned five stars have, on average, a 66 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals with one star.
From 2013 through 2015, patients having a vaginal delivery in hospitals with five stars have, on average, a 54.9 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals with one star.
WMC is having a near-record year for baby deliveries, officials explained.
They added WMC has received the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for a second consecutive year, which again ranks it among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient safety.
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