COLUMBIA, Tenn. – Maury Regional Health (MRH) has been named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems for 2020 by IBM Watson Health®. This is the sixth time that MRH has been recognized with this distinction as one of the top performing health systems in the U.S.
IBM Watson Health identified the top health systems from a rigorous evaluation of 332 health systems and 2,492 hospitals that are members of health systems. The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experience. IBM Watson Health established the list to help identify top performance benchmarks that may help other health care organizations achieve consistent, balanced and sustainable high performance.
“This recognition reflects the ongoing commitment of our employees, physicians and volunteers to prioritize patient outcomes and safety for those we serve,” said MRH CEO Alan Watson. “As health care organizations across the country continue providing care during these uncertain times, I could not be more proud of the way our team members are responding to these challenges.”
The only health system in Tennessee to be recognized in 2020, MRH’s recognition was the result of data for its three hospitals: Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg and Wayne Medical Center in Waynesboro. The 15 Top Health Systems list is divided into categories of large, medium and small health systems, with five systems recognized in each category. MRH was recognized in the small health system category. The 15 Top Health Systems study has been conducted annually since 2008. MRH was also recognized in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
As compared to their peer health systems, the organizations included on the IBM Watson Health 15 Top Health Systems list had better results on performance indicators intended to measure clinical outcomes, operational efficiency and patient experience. These include:
Lower inpatient mortality rates and fewer patient complications, considering patient severity
- Care that resulted in fewer hospital-acquired infections
- Higher influenza immunization rates
- Lower 30-day readmission rates
- Shorter lengths of stay
- Faster emergency care
- Higher scores on patient ratings of their overall hospital experience
- Lower episode-of-care expenses for the in-hospital through aftercare process
Additionally, performance by these health systems, when applied to all Medicare inpatients, could result in:
- Approximately 43,000 additional lives saved;
- More than 29,000 additional patients being complication-free;
- Health care-associated infections being reduced by 12 percent; and
- Patients spending 38 fewer minutes in hospital emergency rooms, per visit.
All research was based on the following public data sets: Medicare cost reports, MEDPAR data and core measures and patient satisfaction data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website.
“Hospitals, health systems and the dedicated clinicians and staff who work at these organizations have emerged as true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are grateful to be able to recognize these extraordinary leaders at this time,” said Kyu Rhee, M.D., M.P.P., vice president and chief health officer, IBM Watson Health. “From small to large health systems, the organizations on this list demonstrate a relentless commitment to high value, patient-centered care and innovation. It is clear that the COVID-19 crisis will be a catalyst for reinvention, and we believe these top performing health systems are positioned to emerge stronger and smarter out of this crisis.”
The annual list was published today by Fortune. For more information, visit http://www.100tophospitals.com.