Augusta Health receives two national recognitions

Augusta Health has recently been recognized by two national organizations for its high quality care, service and value to the community.  Becker’s Hospital Review featured Augusta Health on its annual “100 Great Community Hospitals” list.  Additionally, based on its Community Value Index score, Augusta Health ranked as a Community Value 100 Hospital—one of the 100 best hospitals in the nation for value to its community in the 10th annual Community Value Index Study.

“Every physician and employee at Augusta Health is dedicated to providing the best care possible with the most reasonable charges possible to their friends, family and neighbors,” said Mary N. Mannix, FACHE and CEO of Augusta Health.  “It’s the foundation of being a community hospital.  Our charges are the seventh lowest in the state of Virginia, according to the 2012 Industry Report published by Virginia Health Information.  We are also extremely proud of the quality of care we deliver, and grateful for the community who supports us by choosing us to provide that care.”

The Community Value Index score, calculated annually by Cleverley + Associates, provides a relative ranking that benchmarks hospitals against hospitals in a peer group by measuring four areas—hospital quality performance, financial viability and plant reinvestment, hospital cost structure and hospital charge structure. Fundamentally, the Community Value Index asserts that a hospital provides value to its community when it provides high quality care to its patients, is financially viable, is appropriately reinvesting back into the facility, maintains a low cost structure and has reasonable charges.

Hospitals operating with a high Community Value Index are low cost, low charge, and use their strong financial position to reinvest back into the provision of quality care at their facility.  Hospitals in the top 20% are designated “Community Value Five Star” facilities, and the highest scoring hospitals in this group are designated the “Community Value 100” hospitals.  Augusta Health received both designations.

Becker’s “100 Great Community Hospitals” list includes hospitals with fewer than 550 beds that are dedicated to high quality care and service to the community.  The editorial team selects these community hospitals based on ranking and awards from iVantage Health Analytics, Truven Health Analytics, HealthGrades and The Joint Commission—all rankings of quality and service.  Becker’s notes that hospitals do not pay and cannot pay to be included on the list.

Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit community hospital whose mission is to promote the health and well-being of our community through access to excellent care.  Named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in America by Thomson Reuters in both 2011 and 2012, Augusta Health has also been nationally recognized by HealthGrades for clinical excellence and patient safety and has been named one of America’s 100 Best Hospital by HealthGrades.  For more information about Augusta Health, its programs or its services, please contact Public Relations at 540.245.7329 or 540.221.7329, or visit our website, www.augustahealth.com.