Sault Area Hospital rated 'average'

Patient satisfaction at Sault Area Hospital remains unchanged since last year and is considered 'average,' according to an independently-researched report card on hospitals across Ontario.

The following are the full texts of news releases issued today by Sault Area Hospital and the Ontario Hospital Association:

****************************************************************** News release - Sault Area Hospital

Province-wide hospital report cards released

January 9, 2003

Hospital Report 2002: Acute Care was released today.

The Report rates acute care at hospitals province-wide based upon hospital-specific indicators in four categories including patient care, patient satisfaction, hospital finances and keeping up with change.

Overall patient satisfaction with care at SAH has not changed since last year.

SAH is keeping pace with other community hospitals in Ontario and continues to be rated as average.

The Report demonstrates that the Sault and area continues to receive similar quality patient care as most other Ontario communities.

For most indicators, acute care at SAH appears to be within provincial norms, compared to other hospitals.

SAH has maintained its score for 12 of the 16 indicators highlighted in a newspaper insert that will be distributed next week.

Of the four indicators that changed since last year, one improved and three were lower.

The indicator that showed improvement was in the area of hospital finances.

The three indicators that were lower are access to coronary angiography, satisfaction with care and services and electronic patient information.

Similar to previous report cards, mounting community concern about SAH’s ageing facilities appears to have had a negative impact on patient satisfaction.

The patient satisfaction surveys were completed by patients discharged between August and October of 2001.

The impact of changes that SAH has made since then are not reflected in these survey results.

Progress continues to be made in many areas, including plans for a new hospital, which was announced after this round of patient surveys.

****************************************************************** News release - Ontario Hospital Association

89 percent rate hospital care excellent or good

TORONTO, Jan. 9 - According to Hospital Report 2002: Acute Care, 89 percent of those patients who participated in an Ontario hospital patient satisfaction survey rate the quality of their care as excellent or good.

For the fourth year in a row, Ontarians have access to an independently-researched report detailing the performance of hospitals from across Ontario, released today by Health and Long-Term Care Minister Tony Clement and Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) president, David MacKinnon. "Both the Eves government and the Ontario Hospital Association take accountability to taxpayers very seriously, and today's report is a non-biased accounting of the performance of our hospitals," said Clement.

"It reflects the hard work and dedication of Ontario's doctors and nurses. It shows that our hard work to redesign and modernize our hospital system, to protect publicly-funded universal access while at the same time incorporating the latest knowledge, techniques and technology, is improving the care patients receive."

The report details areas where hospitals excel, and provides information on other areas that can be improved. Hospitals in each of three categories can compare each other's results to learn what is being achieved in patient satisfaction, patient care, financial health and keeping up with change.

The government's efforts to reduce wait times and to increase access to health professionals are reflected in the improvements shown at 42 per cent of the hospitals.

"Hospitals are the biggest, single line item in the Ontario budget and they are the focus of intense public interest and scrutiny. The report card is an ideal way to keep the public informed," said David MacKinnon, President and CEO of the Ontario Hospital Association.

"Hospitals benefit as well, because it outlines not only key strengths, but areas where service to patients can be improved."

The report is one of the most advanced approaches to reporting on hospital performance in North America. It was prepared by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) with assistance from the Hospital Report Research Collaborative based at the University of Toronto.

The Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care were joint sponsors in the project. "I congratulate the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for their vision and leadership with this report," added Richard Alvarez, President and Chief Executive Officer of CIHI.

"Hospitals must constantly manage their resources and evaluate the way they deliver services. Sound decisions need quality and reliable information. Hospital Report 2002: Acute Care provides this level of information, supporting hospitals and the Ministry to achieve the goals of public accountability and continuous improvement of services." "This fourth year of reports reflects the commitment hospitals and sponsors have to accountability," said Adalsteinn Brown, Principal Researcher, Hospital Report Research Collaborative, University of Toronto.

"Now is the time to focus on the quality of the underlying data for the greatest payoff in quality improvement."