Scottsbluff, Neb., – Regional West has achieved the Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award™, a designation that honors hospital performance in the prevention of serious, potentially preventable complications during hospital stays. The distinction places Regional West among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades, the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals.

On average, 133,896 patient safety events could have been avoided if all hospitals, as a group from 2011 from 2013, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 Patient Safety Indicators evaluated by Healthgrades.

In addition, during this study period, patients treated in hospitals receiving Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:

•   43.9% less likely to experience an accidental puncture or laceration during a procedure, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

•   53.6% less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

•   47.4% less likely to experience catheter-related blood stream infections, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

•   43.8% less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

“This designation is very important to Regional West,” John Mentgen, President and CEO of Regional West Health Services. “Every single employee and provider at Regional West is focused on working to improve patient outcomes, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. We strive to provide a positive patient experience with every patient encounter at Regional West. This recognition is for everyone at Regional West working as a team to provide excellent patient care services.”

“We commend all recipients of the Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award. This achievement reflects an organization-wide commitment to delivering high-quality care and to protecting patients from potentially preventable complications,” said Evan Marks, Chief Strategy Officer, Healthgrades.

During the study period (2011-2013), Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals performed with excellence in providing safety for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) for 13 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). 

“Regional West is always working to improve patient care and patient satisfaction,” said Jonathan Morgan, MD, Regional West Chief Medical Officer. “I am proud to say our entire staff is committed to this effort."

For more information about Healthgrades or to download a full copy of the report or to receive information about hospital and physician quality, visit: www.Healthgrades.com/quality today.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 182-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 providers, and over 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.