State Report Finds Improving Care at Cape Regional

COURT HOUSE — Cape May County’s only hospital has improved its quality of patient care over the past year, according to a recently released state report.
Cape Regional Medical Center upped its scores in three of the four treatment categories measured in the New Jersey Hospital Performance Report. Its score in the other category remained the same.
“Cape Regional Medical Center is committed to constantly improving the quality and safety of the care that we deliver to our patients,” said Dr. Richard P. Falivena, the hospital’s vice president of medical affairs. “Our dedicated team of physicians and healthcare staff work diligently to ensure each patient receives the highest quality of care.”
The report, released Sept. 17 by the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), summarizes hospital performance in treating heart attacks, pneumonia, heart failure and surgical patients by showing how often recognized best practices were used in treating these conditions.
There were 23 best practice measures for the four conditions, including: aspirin, beta-blocker, vaccination, and antibiotic treatments; blood cultures and different assessments; smoking cessation advice; discharge instructions; and others.
Cape Regional saw double-digit percentage improvements in seven of the measures.
The hospital scored an overall 99 percent for its treatment of heart attacks, 92 percent for pneumonia, 94 percent for heart failure and 85 percent for surgical care.
Last year, the hospital formerly known as Burdette Tomlin Memorial scored: heart attacks, 91 percent; pneumonia, 89 percent; heart failure, 84 percent; and surgical infection prevention, 85 percent.
“Cape Regional Medical Center is proud of the excellent cardiac care that our physicians and staff deliver. Our heart attack treatment scores place Cape Regional Medical Center in the top 10% of New Jersey Hospitals, and our heart failure treatment scores in the top one half,” Falivena said.
“Cape Regional Medical Center’s scores in pneumonia and surgical care have shown consistent improvement over time. We continue to strive to achieve our goal of delivering excellent care.”
Cape Regional scores this year were comparable to other hospitals in the area.
• AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City: heart attacks, 100 percent; pneumonia, 98 percent; heart failure, 100 percent; and surgical care, 86 percent.
• AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Pomona: heart attacks, 97 percent; pneumonia, 99 percent; heart failure, 100 percent; and surgical care, 95 percent.
• Shore Memorial Hospital, Somers Point: heart attacks, 96 percent; pneumonia, 94 percent; heart failure, 89 percent; and surgical care, 89 percent.
• South Jersey Regional Medical Center, Vineland: heart attacks, 96 percent; pneumonia, 93 percent; heart failure, 94 percent; and surgical care, 84 percent.
“New Jersey hospitals have made major improvements in the quality of their patient care since the first report card was issued in 2004,’’ said DHSS Commissioner Heather Howard. “The Department’s focus on improving health care quality statewide—and the hard work of the state’s acute care hospitals—has resulted in New Jersey now being recognized as a leader in quality care.”
“Cape Regional Medical Center applauds the Department of Health and Senior Services efforts to inform the public on the quality of care delivered by New Jersey hospitals,” Falivena said. “We are committed to continuing to participate in this public reporting of our clinical outcomes.”
According to a DHSS release, the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality earlier this year issued its state snapshots and ranked New Jersey the second best performing state—behind Michigan—in hospital care measures.
Despite this report’s positive figures for New Jersey hospitals, one local physician says not to rely on it completely when picking a hospital or doctor.
When the Herald reported on this same report last year, Dr. Suketu Nanavati, of the Cape Heart Clinic, called it a “checklist study” in which hospitals could score well if they “simply go down these lists and check off the treatment – aspirin…check, beta-blocker…check.”
“This is a poor way to judge care,” he said.
A better approach to judge treatment, he suggested, would be to look at physicians’ risk adjusted mortality rates and the quality of patients’ lives after their hospitalization and treatment.
As one of the county’s leading cardiologists, Nanavati told the Herald last year that Cape Regional’s cardiology care is excellent in the treatment heart attacks and heart failure.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com