PENSACOLA, Fla. - An online comparison of area hospitals by the Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) rates Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola as experiencing consistently "lower than expected" occurrences of hospital-acquired complications and infections. The state web site, FloridaHealthFinder.com/CompareCare, compares mortality rates, hospitalization data and complication rates of healthcare facilities throughout Florida.

In the ratings posted October 2009, Sacred Heart Hospital’s post-operative complication and infection rates in adult patients were listed as lower than expected in five categories:

• infections due to medical care
• pressure ulcers
• Post-op pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis
• Post-operative sepsis (a potentially deadly blood-stream infection)
• Iatrogenic pneumothorax, (a complication in the lungs due to procedures such as mechanical ventilation or tracheostomy tube placement.)

"These ratings are directly related to the excellent work Sacred Heart physicians and associates are doing to practice at the highest standard in preventing healthcare-associated infections and other complications," says Deanie Lancaster, Sacred Heart Hospital Chief Nursing Officer and VP of Quality and Risk Management. "Our hospital and Medical Staff leadership consistently encourage the use of evidence-based practices, which are proven best-practices for the healthcare industry. As the AHCA ratings demonstrate, we are reaping the benefits in positive outcomes."

Using data reported by Florida healthcare facilities on hospital-acquired complications and infections, AHCA assigns ratings of "lower than expected," "as expected" and "higher than expected," as compared to statewide hospital complication rates. A rating of "lower than expected" indicates that the facility reported fewer hospital-acquired complications and infections as compared to the risk-adjusted complication and infection rates of hospitals in Florida.

About Sacred Heart Health System:
Sacred Heart Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare organization, is Northwest Florida’s leader in providing high-quality, compassionate healthcare to both children and adults. Acute-care facilities within the Health System are Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., including Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and Sacred Heart Women’s Hospital; Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in Miramar Beach, Fla.; and Sacred Heart Hospital on the Gulf in Port St. Joe, Fla. Major services include Sacred Heart Medical Group, a Level II Trauma Center, a Pediatric Trauma Referral Center, and many centers of excellence.

Related Links:

http://floridahealthfinder.gov/comparecare/