LAKEPORT — The Sutter Lakeside Hospital received the highest rating from Consumer Reports regarding patient care during various types of surgeries in its September issue.
The rating came from an analysis that looked at Medicare claims data from 2009 through 2011 for patients undergoing 27 categories of commonly scheduled surgeries, according to the report. Hospitals were evaluated on a five point scale ranging from worse to better. The better rating was represented with a full red circle, the worse with a full black circle and the medium score with an empty circle. Sutter Lakeside received a full red circle.
According to the report, nearly 30-percent of patients sustain infections, heart attacks, strokes or other complications in connection to surgeries. The analysis included the study the processes before and after surgeries are performed, as well as during the surgery.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital doctors have a checklist to keep track of what needs to be done before, during and after a surgery is performed, Director of Surgery Diana Iniguez said.
Surgery procedures are written out prior to the operation being performed, and doctors explain other options the patient may have. The hospital provides cleaning equipment and information on how to clean themselves to patients before a surgery is performed.
After arriving at the hospital, patients are given antibiotics an hour prior to the operation, Iniguez said. During surgery, the patient”s circulation is kept to its normal rate with a sequential compression device in order to prevent blood-clots.
After the surgery, patients are trained on how to clean their wounds correctly, Iniguez said. During their time in the hospital, even if kept for a prolonged time, pay close attention to the care of surgery wounds.
Part of the hospital”s good track record is because it has a smaller group of staff than other hospitals that doesn”t experience a lot of changes, Iniguez said. Doctors get used to their job and have a good grasp of the procedures they perform.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital has 14 surgeons and performed 232 surgeries in July. The most common surgeries performed at the hospital include general surgeries, orthopedic, eye surgeries, podiatry procedures and some vascular.
The report stated that hospitals in which personnel pay attention to detail usually have the highest ratings. It also stated that well-known hospitals don”t always earn the best ratings.
According to the report, 2,436 in the country. Of those hospitals, 226 received the highest rating and 221 received the lowest. St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley also received a full red circle, while Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital received an empty circle, which is the middle rating.
Isaac Brambila is an associate editor for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636 ext. 37 or at ibrambila@record-bee.com.
