Orlando Health Medical Procedures Earn Top Ratings From U.S. News & World Report

*    *    *    *

Orlando, FL (May 22, 2015) — When it comes to hip replacement, knee replacement and treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), physicians at Orlando Health represent some of the best in the nation. Their care in these specialties has been rated high performing, according to the newest “Best Hospital” rating program from U.S. News & World Report. Only eight percent of U.S. hospitals that were evaluated for COPD treatment were rated high performing. High performing knee and hip replacement hospitals represented just 10 and 11 percent respectively.

“We are extremely pleased to have received high performing ratings in hip and knee replacement surgery as well as COPD,” said Thomas Kelley, MD, interim chief quality officer, Orlando Health. “We believe these ratings reflect the organization’s continuing pursuit to provide excellent care, system-wide, to all patients.”

“Our entire team is honored to be recognized in this manner,” said George Haidukewych, MD, chief of joint replacement and academic chairman, Orlando Health Orthopedic Institute. “It takes each member of our dedicated team — surgeons, nurses and physical therapists — to provide world-class care to our patients. Watching patients’ lives improve on a daily basis is really what pleases us the most.”

“We stress prevention,” says Dr. Mark Vollenweider, section chief for pulmonology, Orlando Health Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Specialists. “But when treatment is needed, we take a true multi-system approach that includes not only pulmonologists, but critical care doctors, medicine, respiratory therapy and physical therapy. It’s a holistic view and not just about a disease. Our goal is to get our COPD patients strong enough so they can go home and won’t have to come back to the hospital.”

Both programs have been recognized for their leading-edge innovations.

Orlando Health’s pulmonary program offers clinical trials and procedures that are unavailable elsewhere in the area. For example, 10 years ago the practice started doing electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopies to detect cancer when it’s only in Stage 1. And it was one of the first in the state to perform the bronchial thermoplasty procedure to help asthma patients.

In 2008, Orlando Health’s Orthopedic Institute was the first in greater Orlando to perform the anterior approach for hip replacement, a procedure that eliminates the need to cut the hip muscle and enables patients to regain mobility faster than traditional hip-replacement surgeries. Orlando Health orthopedic surgeons also have been involved with the development of innovative total knee replacement technologies that have shown improved function and earlier return of range of motion. The surgeons are internationally recognized for their expertise in hip and knee replacements.

In addition to these specialties, U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Hospitals for Common Care” evaluated heart failure and heart bypass surgery based on data from 2009 — 2012. Orlando Health’s ratings for these specialties were average, which is in line with the vast majority of hospitals in the country at 83 and 75-percent respectively. However, several advancements in Orlando Health’s cardiovascular services have been implemented since this data was compiled.

“As the data catch up with all the changes we’ve made throughout the organization in cardiovascular care and surgery, we fully expect that U.S. News & World Report ratings will reflect these enhancements,” said Jeffrey Bott, MD, chairman, cardiothoracic surgery department, Orlando Health.

In 2011, the Orlando Health Heart & Vascular Institute was officially dedicated, ushering in a new collaborative approach to patient care that includes advanced diagnostic services, the most current surgical and non-surgical treatment options, comprehensive education and innovative research. The organization also implemented structured heart failure outpatient comprehensive treatment programs on all Orlando Health campuses. Heart failure directors were appointed on each campus and at the corporate level to enhance system-wide collaboration. Orlando Health is currently pursuing participation in the American Heart Association’s “Get with the Guideline” heart failure program.

In 2012, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital and Orlando Regional Medical Center received Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care Accreditation. South Seminole Hospital earned that accreditation in 2013. Most recently, Orlando Health earned the highest rating available from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in outcomes for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and for thoracic surgery.

For the Common Care evaluations, U.S. News & World Report used multiple sources of data, including inpatient Medicare claims from 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 as well as various outcomes measures.

About Orlando Health

Orlando Health is a $2.1 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of physician practices, hospitals, and outpatient care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals.

Nearly 3,000 physicians have privileges at Orlando Health, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with more than 15,000 employees who serve nearly 2 million Central Florida residents and more than 4,500 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $270 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Kena Lewis, APR
407.403.1661
[email protected]