Quality and Safety at the University of Michigan Health System

Quality. Value. Efficiency. And compassion. The University of Michigan Health System has it all. Read what others say about how we approach the most critical issues in health care today.

University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers selected for 2007 Thomson 100 Top Hospitals® National Benchmarks Award
Thomson Healthcare, a national health care information company, selected the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers as a Thomson Top 100 Hospital®, based on their annual study identifying benchmarks for highest hospital-wide performance. U-M achieved a national benchmark composite score for hospital-wide performance compared with its peers across the United States. Thomson Healthcare maintains the nation’s largest health care databases. Data represents 78 percent of all hospital discharges based on public Medicare data, so that all hospitals can be measured and the most reliable standards reported.
(Source:Thomson Healthcare)

Hundreds of U-M Health System doctors listed among the Best Doctors in America and metro Detroit’s “Top Docs”
The national list of the Best Doctors in America includes 370 U-M physicians. Based on recommendations from peers nationwide, the list places these U-M physicians among the top 3 to 5 percent of American doctors in their specialties. Also, Hour Detroit magazine features 214 U-M physicians in its annual “Top Docs” issue. On both the national and regional lists, UMHS doctors outnumber those affiliated with any other health system in Michigan.
(Source: Best Doctors in America and Hour Detroit magazine)

U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital ranks among nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report
U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital ranks among the best pediatric hospitals in the nation and is the only children’s hospital in Michigan to make U.S. News & World Report’s first stand-alone “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” list. Mott ranks 22 on the magazine’s list of the 30 best pediatric facilities in the United States. The methodology is weighted using a three-part mix of reputation, death rate and such care-related factors as volume, nursing care, advanced technology and recognition by outside organizations.
(Source: U.S. News & World Report)

UMHS named one of the nation’s 100 best hospitals for third straight year
For the third year in a row, Solucient names UMHS one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals. UMHS is only one of three major teaching hospitals with such a streak of recognition. Solucient surveyed 2,834 hospitals and bases its analysis on mortality index, complication index, patient safety index, average length of stay, expense per discharge, operating profit margin, cash to debt ratio, growth in patient volume and adherence to evidence-based processes.  
(Source: Solucient 100 Top Hospitals)

U-M Cardiovascular Center again named one of the 100 best in the nation
For the second straight year, Solucient names U-M Cardiovascular Center one of the nation’s 100 best centers for heart and vascular care. “Solucient 100 Top Hospitals: Cardiovascular Benchmarks for Success 2006” acknowledges the best-quality and highest-value care. The U-M CVC surpassed the average of 30 peer hospitals in six of the categories – including the risk of death for heart attack, heart failure, bypass surgery and angioplasty patients – which means that U-M had some of the lowest risk-adjusted mortality rates in the nation for those patients. The ratings are based on public data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
(Source: Solucient Top Cardiovascular Centers) 

U-M C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital ranks as top children’s hospital in the state and among best in country
Child magazine ranks Mott Hospital No. 13 overall, and places pediatric cardiac care among the 10 best in the country. The 247-question survey – completed by 76 hospitals across the country – examines vital medical information, including survival rates, the number of complex procedures and intricate surgeries conducted, volume of research studies, efforts to reduce medical errors, and the quality and training of doctors and nurses — as well as child-friendliness, support for families and community involvement.
(Source: Child Magazine Children’s Hospital Rankings)

U-M Hospitals and Health Centers top performer in 2006 UHC Quality and Accountability Ranking
Each year, the University HealthSystem Consortiumrecognizes five members who have demonstrated excellence in delivering high-quality, safe, effective and equitable care to their patients. In 2006, the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers shared this ranking with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Mayo Clinic and the Ohio State University Medical Center. The scoring methodology considered performance measures in safety, mortality, effectiveness and equity.
(Source: University HealthSystem Consortium)

U-M Hospitals and Health Centers only Michigan hospital ranks among nation’s best in U.S. News & World Report
The University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers is listed among the best hospitals in the nation and once again is the only hospital in Michigan to make the honor roll of “America’s Best Hospitals” in the annual U.S.News & World Report rankings. U-M ranks 12th in the country on the magazine’s honor roll of the nation’s 14 best hospitals. UMHHC also achieves a top ranking in all 16 of the specialty areas surveyed. The scoring methodology consists of three equal parts: reputation, death rate, and a mix of care-related factors such as nursing and patient services.
(Source:U.S. News & World Report)

U-M Medical School ranks among top 10 in country in U.S. News & World Report
The U.S. News & World Report ranks the U-M Medical School No. 10 among the nation’s 125 fully accredited medical schools, according to the annual “Best Graduate Schools” issue. The magazine also ranks U-M in the top 10 for four medical specialties: family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine and women’s health. U-M ranked 12th in pediatrics.
(Source: U.S. News & World Report)

U-M Trauma Burn Center receives renewal of Level 1 Trauma Verification
The University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center is again verified as a Level 1 Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Trauma. Level 1 is the highest classification a trauma center can achieve. It means that the U-M Health System is fully equipped and staffed to care for the most serious trauma injuries – and is capable of serving as a comprehensive regional trauma resource. The American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association also verify the Center as a burn center.
(Source: AmericanCollege of Surgeons)

U-M Mott Children’s Hospital Pediatric Trauma Program receives Level 1 Trauma Verification
The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital is reverified as a Pediatric Level 1 trauma center by the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons in recognition of its dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. Mott’s program is one of only 13 programs of its kind in North America.
(Source: AmericanCollege of Surgeons)

UMHS only site in Michigan to participate in the CMS disease management project
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services names the UMHS Faculty Group Practice one of 10 physician groups – and the only one in Michigan – to demonstrate that improving care in a proactive and coordinated manner also reduces costs. The project aims to align incentives for physician groups to manage the overall care of their patients, especially beneficiaries with chronic illness who account for a significant portion of Medicare expenditures. During the three-year project demonstration, the U-M program – a collaboration of its hospitals, health centers and Faculty Group Practice – will phase in quality measures that focus on common chronic illnesses and preventive care measures.
(Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)

U-M Stroke Program recognized for high-quality care
The Joint Commission, the national organization that accredits hospitals, awards the UMHS Stroke Program with national certification for the high quality of its care and a “gold seal of approval.” National certification means patients get proven, coordinated treatment. UMHS is one of only two hospitals in southeast Michigan recognized with a “gold seal of approval.” The Joint Commission bases its designation on an intensive review of a hospital’s stroke care and the standards set by the Brain Attack Coalition and the American Stroke Association.
(Source:  Joint Commission)

U-M Hospitals and Health Centers receives 2005 Performance Through People Award
The U-M Hospitals and Health Centers is the first not-for-profit organization – and first health care organization – to receive the 2005 Performance Through People Award by the Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement at Northwestern University. The award honors organizations that successfully capitalize on human interactions among employees, customers and vendors that affect its long-term growth.
(Source: The Performance Executive, Northwestern University, Fall 2005)

To read more about UMHS quality and safety in the news, follow this link.