Iron Mountain VA Earns ‘Top Performer’

IRON MOUNTAIN – The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center today was named one of the nation’s top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America.

The VA Medical Center, located in Iron Mountain, MI, is one of 620 U.S. hospitals – representing the top 18 percent of Joint Commission-accredited hospitals  –  earning the distinction of Top Performers on Key Quality Measures™.  It is also one of only 244 hospitals receiving this recognition for a second year in a row.

“We are extremely honored to once again be named on the list of The Joint Commission’s Top Performers,” said Jim Rice, Director of the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center.

“These hospitals are leading the way in quality improvement, as American hospitals as a whole continue to make strides,” wrote Mark R. Chassin, M.D., President of The Joint Commission, in the organization’s 2012 Annual Report.

Top performing hospitals are being recognized by The Joint Commission for leading the way nationally in using evidence-based care processes closely linked to positive patient outcomes for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care and children’s asthma.

“While all hospitals achieving improvements deserve congratulations, those making the list have achieved an exemplary level of performance,” said Chassin.

Top-performing hospitals met two 95 percent performance thresholds.  First, they achieved performance of 95 percent or above on the composite score that includes all the accountability measures for which data were reported to The Joint Commission for calendar year 2011. Second, recognized hospitals met or exceeded a 95 percent performance target for each and every accountability measure for which they reported data.

The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center was recognized for achieving these thresholds for Pneumonia.

“This honor proves that the VA’s dedication to evidence-based care and performance measurement accountability are placing Veteran’s health care among the top tiers of the country,” said Rice.

“We understand that what matters most to Veterans and their families at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center is safe, effective care,” said Rice.

As a top-performing hospital, the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center is being recognized in “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report (http://www.jointcommission.org/annualreport) and on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website (http://www.qualitycheck.org).