Reading Hospital - Tower Health announced today that it is a recipient of the Healthgrades 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award™. This distinction places Reading Hospital among the top 5 percent of all acute care hospitals reporting patient safety data as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.
During the study period (2016 through 2018), Healthgrades 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals demonstrated excellent performance in safeguarding Medicare patients, as measured by 13 patient safety indicators (PSI) as defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
"Our team prides itself on the high-quality care we provide to our patients," said William M. Jennings, Reading Hospital President and CEO. "To be recognized by Healthgrades is an honor and speaks to the caliber of care provided at Reading Hospital. It is our privilege to continue to care for our communities while fulfilling the promise of advancing health and transforming lives."
Compared to non-designated hospitals, Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals that achieve the Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average*:
- 48.3 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest.
- 54.4 percent less likely to experience a hip fracture following surgery.
- 66.8 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital.
- 63 percent less likely to experience catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired at the hospital.
In addition, if all hospitals in the country performed at the level of award recipients for each of the 13 patient safety indicators, 110,864 patient safety events could have been avoided.*
"Consumers might not know that information around patient safety is readily available and should be considered when researching healthcare options," said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades. "We commend the recipients of the 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award for their dedication to providing excellent care for their patients."
View Healthgrades hospital quality methodologies.
*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2019.0.1) to MedPAR data for years 2016 through 2018 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.