From Staff Reports

A March 27 press release touting that  Asheville-based Mission Hospital “has been recognized as a 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor,” prompted the website Asheville Watchdog — later the same day — to question in a story whether the hospital is being disingenous with, and deliberately trying to confuse the public about, the facility’s true patient safety standing.

Also, the Watchdog noted in a drop headline with its story the following:

“Recognition contradicts federal finding of ‘immediate jeopardy,’ raises new concerns about hospital ratings credibility.”

Meanwhile, its in press release, Mission stated, “This achievement, along with Mission Hospital’s accomplishments as American’s 50 Best Hospitals from 2020 – 2024 from Healthgrades, reflects our commitment to delivering safe, high quality care. 

The Daily Planet contacted Mission Health spokeswoman Nancy Lindell for her comment on the award and her response to others (such as the Watchdog’s questioning of its validity), and she emailed  the newspaper the following response on April 5: 

“Mission Hospital was recognized for inpatient safety from Healthgrades, which independently evaluates hospitals across the country. We are proud of the recognition Healthgrades has given us with regard to their Core Patient Safety Indicators, many involving surgical safety and infection prevention.” 

 In the hospital’s press release, Mission Hospital CEO Chad Patrick stated the following:

“As healthcare professionals, patient safety is at the core of everything we do. I want to thank our colleagues for their hard work and vigilance in creating a culture of safety, and continuing to raise the bar and set new standards for patient care.”

The release then stated, “Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine this year’s top-performing hospitals for patient safety.” 

In a phrase followed by an asterisk, the release asserted, “During the 2020-2022 study period, nearly 170,000 potentially preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for close to 75 percent of these incidents.*”

At the end of the release, an asterisk, followed by a statement linked to the assertion above, noted the following:

“*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2023.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2020 through 2022 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.”

Meanwhile, the release continued, “Healthgrades’ analysis revealed that patients treated in hospitals receiving the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals: 

• “In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (approximately 52 percent less likely)

• “Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56 percent less likely)

• “Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67 percent less likely)

• “Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71 percent less likely)”

The release then quoted Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades, as saying the following:

“Mission Hospital has cultivated an outstanding safety culture that prioritizes the well-being of both patients and staff, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide.

“We’re proud to recognize Mission Hospital for providing top-quality care while preventing serious injuries to patients during their hospital stay.”

Mission Hospital then concluded its release by stating, “Where you’re treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals–with data insights not available anywhere else. To learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality, visit healthgrades.com.” 

As for Healthgrades, the release noted, as an addendum to its release, the following:

“Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering stronger and more meaningful connections between patients and their healthcare providers. 

“As the No. 1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.

“Our health system, large group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have been helping our partners reach and engage consumers who are on their way to the doctor for over 20 years.

“Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central, Bezzy and Platejoy which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. 

“Each month, RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives.”

Almost concurrently, the Asheville Watchdog story later March 27 began by stating: 

“Paging Dr. Spin...

“Asheville’s Mission Hospital, the same one that the federal government found in immediate jeopardy for endangering patients in December, has been recognized as a 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades.

“As Asheville Watchdog reported in February, hospital ratings don’t always jibe with quality of care perceptions or reality. Mission Hospital received an ‘A’ safety grade from The Leapfrog Group in fall 2023 and made Healthgrades’ list of America’s 50 Best Hospitals in January — even as federal investigators were determining that the quality of care at Mission was so bad that it had ‘caused — or is likely to cause — serious injury, harm, impairment or death to a patient.’ 

“A federal finding of immediate jeopardy is the strongest sanction a health care facility can face. Mission still risks losing Medicare and Medicaid funding by June 5 if it doesn’t correct deficiencies, including those that contributed to the deaths of four patients brought to the emergency department in 2022 and 2023. Were it to lose that funding, the financial viability of the hospital would be threatened.”

The Watchdog story concluded as follows:

“Just two months ago, Mission spokeswoman Nancy Lindell said the hospital and its owner, HCA Healthcare, had taken the results of the federal inspection seriously.

“‘There are no excuses for our patients receiving anything other than exceptional care,’ Lindell said in a statement in January. ‘This is not the standard of care we expect, nor that our patients deserve, and we will work diligently to improve.’

“Lindell did not immediately respond to questions about why Mission was touting the award or whether patients and residents of Western North Carolina might find it confusing or disingenuous.”

In a “comment bubble” appearng below the Watchdog’s story, the following were among the many opinions posted:

• Bob h. — “It feel(s) like I am living in ‘bizarro world.’”

• April — “Truly. Unbelievable!”

• Kim W -— “These ratings come from facility reported data….need one say more?”

• John Martin — “Not much different than the A-CT giving itself awards for great journalism.”

• paula.j.garber — “What a joke!”

• Jimmy C. — “This recognition is bought and paid for by the recipient, Mission Hospital, to the organizations which endorsed them for safety when we know each of us puts our lives in jeopardy if we walk through Mission’s doors.”

• Will S. — “Ask how many cleaners mission had on staff before the new building was built and how many cleaned the old smaller ER on a typical shift. Then ask for the current staffing level and how many clean the ER.”