Top Score 10% & 50%

These scores show you which hospitals are among the top 10% or 50% NJ hospitals in the specific measure. If your hospital has a score that is equal to or greater than the score displayed at the top, it is among the top 10% or 50% performers in NJ on the specific measure.

Heart Attack Facts

Overall Score

The Overall Heart Attack Score summarizes the 7 heart attack measures for recommended care.

Aspirin at Arrival

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart attack patients who received aspirin within 24 hours before or after hospital arrival.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because taking aspirin as soon as symptoms of a heart attack begin may reduce the severity of the attack. Aspirin can help prevent or dissolve existing blood clots. Continued use of aspirin may help reduce the risk of another heart attack.

Aspirin at Discharge

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart attack patients prescribed aspirin at discharge from the hospital.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because aspirin can help prevent or dissolve existing blood clots. Continued use of aspirin may help reduce the risk of another heart attack.

Beta Blocker at Discharge

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOUthe percent of heart attack patients prescribed a beta blocker at discharge from the hospital.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because beta blockers are medicines that lower blood pressure, treat chest pain (angina) and heart failure, and help prevent heart attacks. Beta blockers relieve the stress on the heart by slowing the heart rate and reducing the force with which the heart contracts to pump blood. They also help keep blood vessels throughout the body from constricting.

ACE Inhibitor or ARB at Discharge

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart attack patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) who were prescribed an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) at discharge from the hospital.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because ACE inhibitors and ARBs are medicines that can help reduce the risk of death after a heart attack. Continued use may help prevent heart failure. ACE inhibitors and ARBs modify the effects of hormones (angiotensin II) that regulate blood pressure and influence the healing process of the heart. They are prescribed to lower blood pressure and thus lessen the workload of the heart.

Smoking Cessation Advice

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart attack patients with a history of smoking cigarettes who received advice before discharge from the hospital on how to quit smoking.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because smoking is linked to heart attacks. Quitting may help prevent another one.

PCI Within 90 Minutes

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart attack patients who underwent angioplasty, or a Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), within 90 minutes after arrival at a hospital.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because PCI is a procedure to open the blocked blood vessels, re-establishing the blood supply to the heart muscle. It involves inserting a catheter (a flexible tube) often through the leg. Increasingly, cardiologists choose to do a PCI instead of prescribing clot-dissolving medication. However, PCI is not available at every general hospital in New Jersey.

Pneumonia Facts

Overall Score

The Overall Pneumonia Score summarizes the 7 pneumonia measures for recommended care.

Pneumonia Vaccination

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients 65 years of age and older who were assessed for and, if needed, given the pneumonia vaccine before discharge from the hospital.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because a pneumonia vaccination may help prevent future bacterial pneumonia and also lower the risk of complications.

Influenza Vaccination

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients 50 years of age and older who were assessed for and given, if needed, the influenza vaccine before discharge from the hospital during the flu season.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because flu shots are highly effective in preventing influenza-related pneumonia, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that is highly contagious. Patients 50 years old or older are particularly vulnerable, and getting the flu shot during flu season helps protect them from another lung infection and prevent the spread of influenza.

Antibiotic Timing

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients who received an antibiotic within 6 hours of hospital arrival.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because early antibiotic treatment can cure bacterial pneumonia quickly and reduce the possibility of complications. However, there is controversy about the desirability of hospitals achieving a 100% score on this measure. Pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose quickly, and there is some concern that this measure provides hospitals an inappropriate incentive to use antibiotics for all potential pneumonia patients before making a firm diagnosis. Overuse of antibiotics reduces quality of health care since it can result in bacterial resistance to these antibiotics.

Antibiotic Selection

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients who received the most appropriate initial antibiotic.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because different antibiotics treat specific bacterial infections. The initial antibiotic selection should be the best treatment choice for that type of pneumonia.

Blood Culture before Initial Antibiotic

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients in the hospital who had their blood taken and cultured in the Emergency Department before receiving their first antibiotic.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because a blood culture indicates which antibiotic will work best to treat that particular type of bacterial pneumonia.

Smoking Cessation Advice

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of pneumonia patients with a history of smoking cigarettes who received advice before discharge from the hospital on how to quit smoking.
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because smoking may increase the severity of your pneumonia and make it more difficult to recover. Quitting may help improve your condition.

Heart Failure Facts

Overall Score

The Overall Heart Failure Score summarizes the 4 heart failure measures for recommended care.

Left Ventricular Systolic (LVS) Function Assessment

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart failure patients who had their LVS function evaluated before hospital arrival, during hospitalization, or had a test planned following discharge.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because an assessment of your heart’s left side, the main pumping chamber, is needed to determine how well your heart is pumping. Results help determine appropriate treatment.
  

ACE Inhibitor or ARB at Discharge

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart failure patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) prescribed an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) at discharge from the hospital.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because ACE inhibitors and ARBs are medicines that modify the effects of hormones that regulate blood pressure and influence the healing process of the heart. Since these two drugs work differently, your doctor will decide which drug is most appropriate for you.

Discharge Instructions

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of patients who received written instructions or educational material at hospital discharge addressing: activity level, diet, discharge medications, follow-up appointment, weight monitoring, and instructions if symptoms worsen.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because heart failure is a chronic condition which must be managed closely to prevent repeat hospitalizations and further damage to the heart and other organs.

Smoking Cessation Advice

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of heart failure patients with a history of smoking cigarettes who received advice on how to quit smoking before hospital discharge.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because smoking increases your risk for developing blood clots and further heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks, heart failure or stroke. Smoking causes blood vessels to thicken making it harder for blood to flow to the heart.

Surgical Infection Prevention

Overall Score

The Overall Surgical Care Improvement Score summarizes all surgical care measures for recommended care except VTE Prophylaxis Ordered.

Preventive Antibiotic Started 1 Hour Before Surgery

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of eligible patients who received prophylactic or preventive antibiotics within one hour prior to surgical incision.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because surgery patients given antibiotics, medicines that prevent and treat infections, within the hour before their operation are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic over an hour earlier or after surgery begins is not as effective.

Preventive Antibiotic Stopped Within 24 Hours

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of eligible surgical patients whose prophylactic or preventive antibiotics were stopped within 24 hours after surgery ended (or 48 hours after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft or other cardiac surgery). Antibiotics are medicines that prevent and treat infections.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because taking antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary and can increase the risk of side effects, such as stomach aches, serious types of diarrhea, and resistance to the antibiotic (the use of too much antibiotic can prevent them from being effective). There are, however, exceptions. If the surgical site has been contaminated, there may be a need for additional antibiotics after 24 hours. Talk to your doctor to determine how long you should take antibiotics after surgery.

Appropriate Antibiotic Received

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of surgery patients who received the appropriate preventive antibiotic(s) for their surgery in order to prevent a surgical wound infection.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because certain antibiotics are recommended to help prevent wound infection for particular types of surgery. Hospitals can reduce the risk of wound infection after surgery by making sure the patient gets the right medication at the right time on the day of their surgery.

Treatment Preventing Blood Clots (VTEs) Ordered

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of patients with certain types of surgeries whose doctors ordered treatments to prevent blood clots, called venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis, anytime from hospital arrival to 48 hours after surgery has ended.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because venous thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) forms in the vein, limiting blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. If the clot breaks off (embolus), it can lodge itself in the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, which can lead to death. Doctors can order preventive treatments called prophylaxis to reduce the risk. These treatments may include blood thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote blood circulation.

Treatment Preventing Blood Clots (VTEs) Received

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of patients who received the appropriate treatment to prevent blood clots called venous thromboembolism (VTE) at the right time.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because venous thrombosis is a condition in which blood clots (thrombus) form in the vein, usually in the leg, thigh or pelvis, and may limit blood flow, causing swelling, redness and pain. If the clot breaks off, it can lodge itself in the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, which can lead to death. Doctors can order preventive treatments to reduce the risk. These treatments may include blood thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that promote blood circulation.

Controlled Blood Sugar for Heart Patients

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOUpercent of all heart surgery patients whose blood sugar (blood glucose) is kept under good control in the days right after surgery.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT all heart surgery patients get their blood sugar checked after surgery. Any patient who has high blood sugar after heart surgery has a greater chance of getting an infection.

Safe Hair Removal

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU percent of surgery patients who had hair removed from the surgical area before surgery, using a safer method than a razor, such as electric clippers or hair removal cream.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT medical research has shown that shaving with a razor can increase the risk of infection. It is therefore safer to use electric clippers or hair removal cream.

Beta Blocker Prior Continued Before and After Perioperative Period

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of surgery patients who were taking heart drugs called beta blockers before coming to the hospital and were kept on the beta blockers during the period just before and after their surgery (the perioperative period).
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because when heart patients who take beta blockers suddenly stop taking them, they can experience heart problems. Although it is standard procedure to stop patients medications before and after their surgery, staying on beta blockers before and after surgery makes it less likely for problems to occur. Beta blockers are medicines that lower blood pressure, treat chest pain (angina) and heart failure, and help prevent heart attacks.

Urinary Catheter Removed

• THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percent of surgery patients who had a urinary catheter removed on the first or second day after surgery.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because medical research has shown that the longer a catheter is in place, the greater the risk of the patient getting an urinary tract infection (UTI). This measure excludes patients who had a urological, gynecological or perineal procedure.

Heart Attack (AMI) Mortality

THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percentage of heart attack (AMI) patients who died while in the hospital.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you how well the hospitals take care of their heart attack patients. This measure takes into consideration several factors such as how quickly hospital staff treats a heart attack patient once they are in the emergency room.

Heart Failure (HF) Mortality

THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percentage of HF patients who died while in the hospital.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you how well the hospitals take care of their heart failure (HF) patients. Since HF mortality is affected by other medical problems, including lung disease, high blood pressure, cancer and liver disease, the score measures how well the hospital can contain these influences.

Pneumonia Mortality

THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percentage of pneumonia patients who died while in the hospital.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you how well the hospitals take care of their pneumonia patients. Although pneumonia is typically treated with antibiotics, sometimes in an outpatient setting, death does occur in hospitals, especially if the patient has a weakened respiratory system or other chronic health problems.

Stroke Mortality

THIS SCORE TELLS YOU the percentage of stroke patients who died while in the hospital.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you how well the hospitals take care of their stroke patients. Treatment for stroke must be quick and efficient to prevent brain tissue death. The wrong treatment can be fatal, and treatment may differ depending on the type of stroke a patient has suffered. Death rates vary based on the cause and the severity of the stroke, existing illnesses, speed of arrival at the hospital, and speed of diagnosis of the type of stroke. Evidence shows that stroke mortality is affected by having pneumonia, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and heart failure.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft ( CABG ) Surgery Mortality

THIS RATE TELLS YOU the percent of cardiac surgery patients who died while in the hospital following CABG surgery or died within 30 days from the date of their CABG surgery. These patients did not undergo any other major procedure. Lower percentage indicates fewer deaths.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you how well the hospitals take care of their cardiac patients who undergo CABG surgery. Lower mortality scores are better, mean fewer deaths and show better quality care.

Number of Cases by Hospital

THIS NUMBER TELLS YOU how many CABG surgery operations the hospital had performed during the year.

THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because research supports that, in general, treating a higher number of patients means more experience and is related to better outcomes. However, there are many hospitals that do not treat a lot of patients but have good outcomes, and other hospitals that treat a high number of patients and do not have good outcomes.

A 95% Confidence Interval is a statistical term that indicates that we are 95% confident that the hospital’s true mortality rate falls within the range displayed. There is, however, a 5% chance that the hospital’s true mortality rate will fall outside the range displayed.

For instance, Morristown Memorial Hospital has a mortality rate of 0.82 percent, having performed 582 CABG surgeries with a 95% confidence interval of 0.22 to 2.10 percent. This means that we are 95% confident that the hospital’s true mortality rate cannot not fall below 0.22 percent nor go above 2.10 percent (deaths per 100 surgeries).

For more details, visit the 2008 Cardiac Surgery Report.

Foreign Body Left in During Procedure

• THIS INDICATOR IS MEASURED USING VOLUME OF OCCURRENCE - NOT A RATE - TELLS YOU the number of patients who had a foreign object accidentally left in their body during surgical or medical procedures. It is considered a never-event and happens very rarely. All cases with pre-existing conditions are excluded from the measure.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because foreign objects such as sponges, medical instruments, bandages, should never be accidentally left in a patient’s body after an operation or procedure. This error is preventable, and hospitals with high rates need to put systems in place to prevent recurrences.

Iatrogenic Pneumothorax

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients who had air leaking out of their lungs due to an accidental puncture during a medical or surgical procedure per 1,000 discharges. Iatrogenic means unfavorable response after a medical/surgical treatment and pneumothorax means a collapsed lung.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because this medical error, which sometimes requires a tube in the patient’s chest to remove the extra air, is potentially avoidable.

Postoperative Hip Fracture

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients who broke a hip bone from a fall during a hospital stay following any kind of operation or procedure per 1,000 surgery parients from the operating room.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because when a patient falls after an operation and breaks his/her hip bone, it is a type of medical error that is usually preventable. A fall can happen for different reasons, such as receiving too much pain medication or having too little supervision when trying to walk after an operation. This is a very rare event.

Postoperative Hemorrhage or Hematoma

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients with postoperative hemorrhage (too much bleeding) or postoperative hematoma (large blood clot) or drainage of hematoma per 1,000 surgical discharges following a surgical procedure
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because a hematoma is a large blood clot that can cause too much bleeding. Some of these complications may require another operation to stop the bleeding or remove the blood clots. This medical error is potentially avoidable.

Postoperative Pulmonary Embolism (PE) or Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients with PE, a blood clot in the lungs, or DVT, a blood clot in a large vein, per 1,000 discharges of surgery patients from the operating room. The number excludes obstetric patients.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because a PE, which is a blood clot in the lungs, or DVT, which is a blood clot in a large vein, can occur during a surgical procedure. If the DVT breaks away and travels through the bloodstream, it could block a blood vessel in the patient’s lungs, causing PE.

Postoperative Sepsis

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of hospitalized patients who get a serious bloodstream infection (nosocomial postoperative sepsis) after surgery per 1,000 elective surgery patients. A serious infection of the bloodstream caused by toxin-producing bacteria, known as sepsis, can occur after surgery.

  The rate excludes patients with preexisting infections (POA) as well as those with compromised immunity, such as cancer patients. Obstetric patients are also excluded.

• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you the level of care provided by the hospital to prevent sepsis (infections) in patients. Analysis of these particular infections may provide a screen for potential medical errors and a method for monitoring trends in infections over time.

  Hospitals following the appropriate protocols, such as requiring staff frequently wash their hands, should see improvement of post-operative sepsis or other infections over time.

Postoperative Wound Dehiscence

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients who had a re-closure of a surgical wound in the abdominal wall or pelvic area per 1,000 cases of abdominopelvic surgeries. Wound re-closure is performed after the wound from a surgical operation is accidently split open (wound dehiscence).

  Abdominopelvic surgical procedures include those performed on the stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, pancreas, kidneys, most of the small and large intestines, urinary bladder and internal reproductive organs. The rate excludes patients with pre-existing conditions (POA) and all obstetric admissions.

• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it shows you how often a surgical wound in the stomach or pelvic area is split open after an operation. Some or all of these complications may require treatment with another major operation to fix the wound. Wound dehiscence following surgery is a medical error that can be avoided.

Accidental Puncture or Laceration

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of patients who had an accidental cut or laceration during a medical procedure per 1,000 discharges. The number excludes patients with pre-existing conditions (POA) as well as obstetric admissions.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because such a cut or laceration can cause a hole or tear in an organ of the body while receiving medical treatment. This medical error can usually be avoided.

Transfusion Reaction

• THIS INDICATOR IS MEASURED USING VOLUME OF OCCURRENCE - NOT A RATE - TELLS YOU the number of patients who had a bad reaction to a blood transfusion. It is considered a never-event and happens very rarely. All cases with pre-existing conditions are excluded from the measure.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it measures major reactions to blood transfusions. Using the wrong type of blood or blood substitute are examples of why this type of medical error may occur.

Birth Trauma - Injury to Neonate

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of birth trauma (injury to neonate) cases per 1,000 live births caused by medical complications during labor and delivery. The rate excludes some preterm infants and infants with osteogenic imperfecta.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because some birth traumas are potentially preventable errors. Examples of what may cause a birth trauma to a neonate include: bleeding; delay ordering a medically necessary cesarean section (c-section); misuse of forceps or a vacuum extractor during delivery; or failure to respond to an umbilical cord that is dangerously wrapped around the newborn.

Obstetric Trauma - Vaginal Delivery with Instrument

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of obstetric trauma cases to the mother (3rd or 4th degree lacerations, other obstetric lacerations) during instrument-assisted vaginal deliveries per 1,000 discharges.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because trauma occuring during a vaginal delivery that requires the use of forceps or other instrument assistance is a medical error that is potentially preventable.

Obstetric Trauma - Vaginal Delivery without Instrument

• THIS RATE TELLS YOU the number of obstetric trauma cases to the mother (4th degree lacerations, other obstetric lacerations) per 1,000 vaginal deliveries that occurred without a medical instrument.
  
  
• THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT because it tells you the number of potentially preventable injuries or lacerations that occurred during a vaginal delivery that did not require instrument assistance.