Health grades issues ratings for area hospitals.
The newest HealthGrades hospital ratings are out and Providence Holy Cross is celebrating a designation of 5 stars for their maternity care. The marks are the highest available.

 

This comes just weeks after Holy Cross broke ground on a new patient wing, which will house nearly 140 new beds, including a neo-natal intensive care unit. The new wing is expected to open in 2010.

 

For Holy Cross, the distinction as one of the highest rated hospitals for maternity care in Los Angeles is something they’re glad to hold on to.

 

“It’s a testament to our entire staff that we’ve received the five-star banner again,” said Kerry Carmody, Chief Executive of Providence Holy Cross. “Consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated in seeking medical care and are using HealthGrades ratings to pick the best hospital in their area.”

 

Holy Cross also received a five star rating for its overall Women’s Services for the sixth year in a row.

 

[view:node_ad=5]Located in Mission Hills, Holy Cross serves as one of Santa Clarita’s two main hospitals. They deliver roughly 3,000 babies per year, of which an estimated 600 are born to Santa Clarita residents. Henry Mayo Hospital, located in Valencia, also received some HealthGrades designations. They were awarded three stars for their maternity care, but were not rated for overall women’s services.

 

In Burbank, Providence St, Joseph also won 5 star ratings in maternity care, and serves as a sister hospital for Holy Cross.

 

“This spotlights the need for top quality maternity care, especially in extraordinary circumstances,” said Rosanne Morrison, San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys service area director for women’s and children’s services. “Even in ‘routine’ deliveries, parents can be confident mother and child will get the best possible care at both Providence Saint Joseph and Holy Cross.”

 

In ranking maternity services, HealthGrades analyzed more than 12.5 million hospital records from 2004 through 2006 in more than 1,400 hospitals and found five-star hospitals reported almost 51 percent fewer complications among women who gave birth vaginally compared to patients in poor-performing hospitals. These top hospitals also had 76 percent fewer maternal complications among women who had Caesarean-sections.

 

“Each year, HealthGrades conducts the largest annual studies of hospital quality in America,” said Samantha Collier, HealthGrades’ Chief Medical Officer.  “The fact is a close analysis of the data shows that the quality of maternity care varies widely from hospital to hospital, so it’s important for individuals to have this vital information as they evaluate hospitals.”

 

 

Providence Holy Cross has pledged their desire to build a new hospital in the Santa Clarita Valley, and they are working to identify potential sites now.

 

To see the hospital rankings by medical specialty, visit www.healthgrades.com.