(OMAHA, Neb.) – Nowhere in life is quality more critical than in healthcare. It is a key measure of safety and an important indicator to help you gauge probable outcomes. That is why Alegent Health has placed such an emphasis on improving quality scores over the last several of years. That hard work has led to national recognition from The Joint Commission.

Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha, Alegent Health Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Alegent Health Midlands Hospital in Papillion are listed among the nation’s 405 top performing hospitals on key quality measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditation agency of healthcare organizations in America.

The recognition was based on data collected on evidence-based clinical processes and outcomes that are shown to improve care, including for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. All metro-area Alegent Health hospitals were well above the national average in each of the categories measured.

"The public expects transparency in the reporting of performance at the hospitals where they receive care, and The Joint Commission is shining a light on the top performing hospitals that have achieved excellence on a number of vital measures of quality of care," said Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president of The Joint Commission.

"Patients can take comfort that they will get the best care in the area based on valid information from a trusted, independent source in healthcare," said Rick Miller, D.O., senior vice president and chief quality officer for Alegent Health. "To be recognized and publicly reported as top performers in quality by the premier hospital accrediting body is quite an honor."

Organizations must meet two performance thresholds to receive The Joint Commission’s recognition:

• They must achieve a composite performance score of 95 percent or above. That score encompasses all of the accountability measures they report to The Joint Commission.
• They must meet or exceed a 95 percent performance target on every single accountability measure they report.

The Alegent Health hospitals were recognized in the following areas:

• Bergan Mercy Medical Center – heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care
• Mercy Hospital – heart attack, pneumonia and surgical care
• Midlands Hospital – heart attack, pneumonia and surgical care

Quality scores and public reporting will become more important as we move further into healthcare reform, said Alegent Health President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard A. Hachten II, FACHE. "People have a choice of where they seek healthcare. Raising quality scores and improving outcomes are important to our patients, community and to our future," said Hachten. "This recognition is a demonstration of our commitment to leading the transformation of healthcare. It won’t be easy, but it will, I believe, lead to a healthier community, which is good for everyone."

About Alegent Health
With a commitment to providing high-quality care and an exceptional patient experience, Alegent Health, its 1,300 physicians and 8,600 employees are focused on caring for the body, mind and spirit of every person. Patients find a continuum of care at Alegent Health, from primary care through geriatrics. Families can also find specialty care at Alegent Health including women's and children's, cardiovascular, orthopedics, spine, oncology, physical rehabilitation and behavioral health services. With the blessing of our sponsors, Catholic Health Initiatives and Immanuel, Alegent Health has nine hospitals, freestanding inpatient psychiatric and skilled nursing facilities and more than 100 sites of service making us the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care provider in Nebraska and southwest Iowa. For more information, visit www.alegent.com.