Continental Division named one of the nation's 15 Top Health Systems by Premier

Denver, Colo. ─ The HCA Healthcare Continental Division, which includes HCA HealthONE in Denver and Wesley Healthcare in Wichita, was identified as one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems^® according to an independent analysis based on a scorecard provided by Premier, Inc. (NASDAQ: PINC).

To create the list, an objective, quantitative analysis of publicly available data was conducted to identify the top health systems in the U.S. The primary purpose of Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® annual study is to inspire hospital and health system leaders to pursue higher performance and deliver added value to their patients and communities. The quantitative report is based on a balanced scorecard consisting of various measures distributed across four pillars: clinical outcomes, extended outcomes, operational and patient experience.

“We are extremely proud of the culture of high-quality care that the HCA Healthcare Continental Division continues to foster,” said Dr. Mike Reitz, chief medical officer for HCA Healthcare Continental Division. “Being recognized multiple times as a Top Health System is not possible without our extraordinary physicians, nurses and critical support staff members who dedicate themselves to protecting each patient who walks through the doors of our hospital.”

Measuring quality and safety in patient care is paramount at HCA Healthcare Continental Division. Physicians, nurses, and colleagues are dedicated to providing exceptional care for patients.  HCA Healthcare Continental Division’s quality has been recognized by many other independent, third-party organizations including 5-Star ratings from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, inclusion in the US News and World Report Best Regional Hospitals list and recognition by Healthgrades among America’s 100 Best Hospitals as well as the Patient Safety Excellence Award.

The Performance of Facilities on Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® List

This national study is based on a balanced scorecard utilized for 17 years and which consists of a variety of measures distributed across four pillars: clinical outcomes, extended outcomes, operational and patient experience. Participation in the study is not application-based, and award winners do not pay to market their honor. Data leveraged by the annual study is made publicly available to increase transparency of performance for all health systems. 

This year’s analysis compared the study’s top performing health systems to a peer group of similar health systems and found that Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® recipients delivered better outcomes while operating more efficiently. Compared to their peers, this year’s top performers achieved:

• 22 percent fewer inpatient deaths than peer health systems.
• 21.6 percent fewer patients with complications.
• 17.4 percent fewer healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• 0.5-day shorter average length of stay.
• A better patient experience at top performing hospitals compared to peer hospitals, with a top-box Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) score of 71.3 percent versus 68.6 percent at peer health systems.

“Achieving Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® designation is an honor and shows a health system’s commitment to improving enterprise operations, quality and patient-centered care,” said David Zito, Premier’s President of Performance Services. “As one of the 15 Top Health Systems^®, HCA Healthcare Continental Division has achieved high-quality healthcare with the execution of innovative strategies that have directly impacted patient outcomes, with fewer readmissions and complications.”

Premier’s 15 Top Health Systems^® are factored based on their final scorecard performance. To account for differences in scale among health systems, the report categorizes health systems into three groups: large, medium and small health systems.