“On behalf of Ross Memorial, I am very proud of the results from this Report,” says Anthony Vines, President and CEO, Ross Memorial Hospital. “It is reassuring to know that this report card once again confirms that we are delivering quality care and have received above provincial average performance ratings overall. We are always enthusiastic participants in the Hospital Report process as we recognize that these Reports provide us with an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to public accountability and to improving services for patients and their families.”

The Hospital Report 2002: Acute Care is one in a series of reports that assesses a hospital’s overall performance in four key quadrants: Patient Care (Clinical Utilization and Outcomes), Patient Satisfaction, Keeping Up With Change (System Integration and Change) and Hospital Finances (Financial Performance and Condition).

In each of these four quadrants, a number of specific indicators were used to measure individual hospital performance. Once again, this Hospital Report uses the star system to identify the results in each indicator. For each indicator, the stars identify: above average, somewhat above average, provincial average, somewhat below average and below average. As well, there are non-reportable (NR) ratings, which indicates that there was insufficient data to register a rating.

Ross Memorial scored well with many of the indicators being above the provincial average. According to researchers, even a rating of average means that a hospital is in line with the provincial norm and as the overall results are very favourable, a rating of average actually represents a high standard of performance.

“The fact that we have scored both at and above the provincial average in this Report is very complimentary to all at the Ross who continuously strive to provide the best in patient care,” says Dr. Ron Sears, Chief of Medical Staff, Ross Memorial Hospital. “We are very pleased that the Report notes that we are doing well when it comes to the provision of quality patient care. At the same time, we are always working to improve patient care and the methods for achieving quality care.”

“We are especially excited about the particularly high performance ratings that we have received in the Patient Satisfaction category,” explains Mr. Vines. “This can be attributed to the quality of nursing care, physician care and other care that patients receive while at Ross Memorial Hospital. This is a real credit to all of the staff and physicians who are so dedicated to our patients.”

In the Patient Care (Clinical Utilization and Outcomes) quadrant, the category - Access to Coronary Angiography - shows a below average (1) rating for Ross Memorial Hospital. This is due to the fact that the results do not reflect those patients that were discharged home after an acute myocardial infarction and later had an angiogram at another facility as an outpatient. This rating is also due to the fact that Ross Memorial does not perform this particular procedure and refers patients to other health care facilities for coronary angiographies. In the same quadrant, the NR rating for Hysterectomy Readmissions is due to the fact that there are not enough patients being readmitted to the Hospital after a hysterectomy and therefore there are not enough cases in this category to register a rating for Ross Memorial.

“The Hospital Reports enhance our accountability to the community,” explains Mr. Vines. “These Reports provide area residents with a better understanding of how well their local hospital is performing. It is important to note that participation in these reports is entirely voluntary. By identifying hospital-specific performance levels and opportunities for improvement, these reports also serve as valuable quality improvement tools that will help us continue to provide the best care possible here at the Ross.”

Independent researchers at the University of Toronto have developed the Hospital Reports. Once again, the acute care report was produced through a partnership between the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and the University of Toronto. CIHI, an independent, not-for-profit organization, authored the report based on leading-edge methods and research developed by the University of Toronto. The Reports are funded by the Ontario Hospital Association.

Please note that you can access the Acute Care Report via the following web sites: www.gov.on.ca , www.cihi.ca, www.oha.com, and www.hospitalreport.ca.