Fast Facts:
National Benchmarks for Success — 2002

WHAT IS IT?

The 10th edition of the Solucient 100 Top Hospitals®: National Benchmarks for Success study identifies industry benchmarks by recognizing U.S. hospitals that demonstrate superior clinical, operational, and financial performance.

WHO CONDUCTED THE STUDY?

The study is presented by Solucient.

WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?

The study was released on September 29, 2003.

WHICH HOSPITALS WON?

For a complete list of winners, click here.

HOW WERE THE WINNERS CHOSEN?

We assigned each hospital in the study group to one of five comparison groups according to bed size, teaching status, and residency program involvement. We calculated eight performance measure values for each hospital within each comparison group using year 2001 Medicare cost reports and MEDPAR data. Within the comparison groups, we ranked hospitals on the basis of their performance on each of the eight measures relative to other hospitals in their group. We then summed each hospital's performance-measure ranking to arrive at a total ranking for the hospital. Seven of the eight performance measures were given equal weight in this ranking; the exception is the coding specificity measure, which carries a weight half that of the other measures. The hospitals with the best total ranking in each comparison group were selected as the benchmarks.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE KEY FINDINGS?

This year's benchmark hospitals have higher survival rates, lower complication rates, and lower expenses than their peers. Among the key findings:

• We estimate that if all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as those in the 100 Top Hospitals, an additional 84,374 patients could survive each year, and an additional 53,500 patient complications could be avoided.
• Benchmark hospitals, particularly hospitals named to the 100 Top list four or more times, are more likely to be early adopters of new diagnostic and therapeutic technologies than peer hospitals. In addition, benchmark hospitals are more likely than their peers to administer new drugs that treat complications in stroke patients or those undergoing coronary angioplasty surgery.
• Benchmark hospitals are more likely to serve a higher percentage of patients in their communities than their peers, particularly in specialties such as cardiology, neurology, pulmonary, urology, and gastroenterology. In fact, hospitals that have won a 100 Top Hospitals award four or more times serve their community 42 to 61 percent more than those that never won an award.
• Benchmark hospitals had expenses per discharge that were nearly 19 percent lower than their peers.
• The average operating profit margin for winning hospitals was 7 percent, compared with 2 percent for non-winners.
• Patients at winning hospitals return to everyday life faster than those at non-winning hospitals. Patients at 100 Top Hospitals were released a third of a day more quickly than at peer hospitals.
• Winning hospitals employ 20 percent fewer staff (per 100 patient discharges), but treat more – and sicker – patients than non-winning hospitals. Patient case mix at benchmark hospitals was 16 percent higher than at peer hospitals. Benchmark hospitals also had 20 percent more admissions per bed.
  
  CAN I GET A COPY OF THE COMPLETE STUDY?
  
  Yes. Members of the media can receive exclusive copies of the study simply by clicking here.
  
  WHAT WAS THE BREAKDOWN OF WINNERS BY CLASS?
  
  The 10th edition of Solucient’s 100 Top Hospitals® : Benchmarks for Success study analyzed acute care hospitals for five classes of hospitals with the following number of winners in each:
• Major Teaching - 16 winners*
• Teaching - 25 winners
• Large Community, 250+ Beds - 21 winners*
• Medium Community, 100 to 249 Beds - 20 winners
• Small Community, 25 to 99 Beds - 20 winners
  *Denotes a tie

WHO DO I CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION?

All media inquiries should be made to Ginny Sexton at Solucient, (847)424-4358; gsexton@solucient.com.

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