LVMC Exceeds State, Federal Hospital Quality Rankings

Lompoc Valley Medical Center rates better than state or federal averages in a key ranking of hospital quality metrics.

The quality metrics are monitored and publicly reported by Hospital Quality Institute (HQI). HQI publishes a Quality Transparency Dashboard, which includes five key metrics critical to patient care.

“I am very pleased to report that LVMC’s performance is better than state and/or national averages in each of the five areas,” state Chief Executive Officer Steve Popkin. “LVMC is the only hospital in Santa Barbara County that can make that claim.”

The five key quality indicators are:

• Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infection: LVMC rated Better than state and national average
• Colon Surgical Site Infection: LVMC rated Better than state and national average
• NSTV (Nulliparous, Term, Singleton, Vertex Cesarean Birth Rate): LVMC rated Better than state and national average
• Sepsis Mortality: LVMC rated Better than state and national average
• 30-Day Readmission Rate: LVMC rated Better than the national average

Lompoc Valley Medical Center is committed to providing transparent and useful information to consumers about the quality of its care.

“Quality Indicators allow LVMC to study data for ways to improve and standardize our practices, to ensure superior quality of care for every patient,” said Melissa DeBacker, Chief of Quality Assurance/Process Improvement, Risk Management, and Infection Prevention.

The Hospital Quality Institute provides support for improvement measures for patient safety and quality improvement activities for the California Hospital Association and others.

The outcome measures are tallied so that a lower score is a better outcome. Patients and community members may compare a hospital’s ratings with the California level and the National level.

The ratings also note that LVMC has in place a Maternity Safety Program, a Sepsis Protocol, and a Respiratory Monitoring program.

LVMC participates in quality and patient safety initiatives, including the development of an interdisciplinary Sepsis Committee overseeing outcomes and implementation of best practices in the management of patients with sepsis. LVMC also participates in Quest for Zero Patient Harm, in collaboration with Beta Healthcare Group in the areas of Emergency and Perinatal Care.

For more information - including measurement of participating hospitals, frequently asked questions, and other resources for quality transparency – visit this link: http://www.hqinstitute.org/hospital-quality-transparency.