9:15am | St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach has been ranked No. 12 out of 138 Los Angeles-area hospitals in the recently released U.S. News & World Report 2010-2011 standings of U.S. hospitals, placing it in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the region, according to the hospital.
According to U.S. News, the hospital excels in the following adult specialties: cancer; ear, nose and throat; geriatrics; kidney disorders; neurology and neurosurgery; pulmonology and urology.
“The entire team here at St. Mary is extremely proud to be recognized in the top echelon of Southern California hospitals,” said SMMC president and CEO Chris DiCiccio in a prepared statement. “We are pleased that U.S. News noted our exceptional performance in several areas, including cancer and pulmonology, as well as our commitment to patient care through a staff of highly trained, experienced physicians.”
The publication states on its website that it evaluated nearly 5,000 hospitals to rank the best in 16 adult specialties from cancer to urology. Taken into account were death rates, patient safety and each hospital’s reputation with more than 9,000 specialists.
In a synopsis on St. Mary found on U.S. News‘ website, St. Mary is said to have “performed nearly at the level of nationally ranked U.S. News Best Hospitals in seven adult specialties”
“It scored high in patient safety, demonstrating commitment to reducing accidents and medical mistakes,” according to U.S. News.
In terms of patient satisfaction, the hospital ranks above both the state and national average. According to survey results, 70 percent of patients upon being discharged said they would definitely recommend the hospital to family and friends. Statewide, only 67 percent of patients said they would do so, and at the national level, 68 percent responded similarly. Some 7 percent of patients said they would probably not or definitely not recommend St. Mary, which is on par with the state average of 7 percent and just a bit above the national average of 6 percent.
Most U.S. hospitals currently sample survey recently discharged patients about their stay as part of a federal program, according to U.S. News.
In the latest year for which data was available, the Linden Avenue hospital had 11,591 admissions, performed 1,657 inpatient and 2,819 outpatient surgeries, and its emergency room had 42,448 visits, according to U.S. News.
In late February, St. Mary Medical Center opened a new Women’s Heart Center specifically devoted to treating female heart conditions.
The 165-bed, for-profit medical and surgical hospital operated by Catholic Healthcare West and accredited by the Joint Commission has served Long Beach and surrounding communities for more than 85 years.