John Muir Health is committed to providing quality health care for the community. The awards received each year by John Muir Health's hospitals, other entities and services reflect these ongoing efforts.

John Muir Health's medical centers are two of only three California hospitals to receive the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines SM (GWTG) program Triple Performance Achievement award for 2008 for stroke, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. John Muir Health's hospitals are the only two recognized with this quality improvement achievement in Northern California.

Health System Awards | Clinical Program Awards | Staff Awards | Awards Archive

Health System Awards

John Muir Health Hospitals Receive American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Award

2009 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Centers in Concord and Walnut Creek were recognized for their achievement in implementing the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Get With The Guidelines^SM with triple Gold Performance Achievement awards for coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure. This level of achievement demonstrates John Muir Health's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart disease and stroke patients.

Get With the Guidelines helps ensure that patients treated and discharged receive quality care in accordance with guidelines that will reduce the risk of secondary events. It takes advantage of the "teachable moment," the time soon after a heart attack or stroke, when patients are most likely to listen to their healthcare professionals' treatment recommendations. Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke.

This accomplishment signifies that John Muir Medical Centers have reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure patients with 85 percent or better compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines and recommendations.

According to GWTG treatment guidelines, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics and anticoagulants in the hospital, or in the case of stroke, they may receive tPA, antithrombotics and DVT prohphylaxis. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

John Muir Medical Centers have consistently and successfully implemented these quality measures for 24 consecutive months since they began participating in the program.

"The full implementation of acute and secondary prevention guideline recommended therapy is a critical step in reducing death and disability of cardiovascular disease patients," said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the GWTG Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. "The goal of the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals like John Muir Medical Centers implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce the number of deaths in these patients and in their communities. John Muir has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments."

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, each year approximately 300,000 people suffer a recurrent heart attack, 5.2 million people suffer from heart failure and 700,000 people suffer a stroke.

John Muir's staff develops and implements acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable John Muir Medical Centers to improve the quality of care they provide heart disease and stroke patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering recurrence of events.

The program mobilizes teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines.

[back to top]

National Trauma Report Card Results Show John Muir Among Top 5 Performing Hospitals

2008 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - Funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Survival Measurement and Reporting Trial for Trauma (SMARTT) is a trial of a National Trauma Report Card intended to serve as a catalyst for policy development to improve short- and long-term outcomes for trauma patients. John Muir, along with 125 other U.S. Level I and II trauma centers, was selected to participate based on the quality of our annual data submissions to the National Trauma Data Bank.

John Muir consistently scored among the top five performing hospitals included in the study, with survival rates well above the national average. The odds of a very high-risk trauma patient dying at John Muir are 1 in 3 compared to the average trauma center. The Report Card also states that "the likelihood that your hospital is a very-high quality hospital is 100 percent."

[back to top]

John Muir Health Hospitals Receive American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Award

2008 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Centers in Walnut Creek and Concord recently received the American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines^SM-Stroke (GWTG-Stroke) Gold Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes John Muir's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment for at least 24 months according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

"With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and the GWTG-Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award addresses the important element of time," said Jeanette Engle-Ramirez, Executive Director of Neurology, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at John Muir Health. John Muir has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department. This includes always being equipped to provide brain imaging scans, having neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and using clot-busting medications when appropriate.

To receive the GWTG-Stroke Gold Performance Achievement Award, John Muir demonstrated 85% adherence in the GWTG-Stroke key measures for 24 or more consecutive months. These include aggressive use of medications like tPA, antithrombotics, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol-reducing drugs, and smoking cessation.

"The American Stroke Association commends John Muir Medical Center- Walnut Creek Campus and John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus for their success in implementing standards of care and protocols," said Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee Member and director of the acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients."

GWTG-Stroke uses the "teachable moment," the time soon after a patient has had a stroke, when they are most likely to listen to and follow their healthcare professionals' guidance. Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke. Through GWTG-Stroke, customized patient education materials are made available at the point of discharge, based on patients' individual risk profiles. The take-away materials are written in an easy-to-understand format and are available in English and Spanish. In addition, the GWTG Patient Management Tool provides access to up-to-date cardiovascular and stroke science at the point of care.

"The time is right for John Muir Health to be focused on improving the quality of stroke care by implementing GWTG Stroke. The number of acute ischemic stroke patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow over the next decade due to increasing stroke incidence and a large aging population," said Engle-Ramirez.

According to the American Stroke Association, each year approximately 700,000 people suffer a stroke - 500,000 are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent. Of stroke survivors, 21 percent of men and 24 percent of women die within a year, and for those aged 65 and older, the percentage is even higher.

For further information on the recognition from the American Heart Association, visit www.americanheart.org.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus Named One of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S.News & World Report

2008 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus has been named one of "America's Best Hospitals 2008" by U.S.News & World Report in five specialty areas: Orthopedics, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Respiratory Disorders, Geriatric Care and Endocrinology. This year, 5,453 medical centers were evaluated; John Muir Medical Center's Walnut Creek Campus was among 170 hospitals nationwide to receive the "Best Hospitals" distinction.

According to U.S News, the rankings were developed and the specialties chosen explicitly to help consumers determine which hospitals provide the best care for the most serious and complicated medical conditions and procedures - not for those that are relatively commonplace.

"This recognition further highlights our commitment to our patients and the community," says Jane Willemsen, president and chief administrative officer of John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus. "We believe in our talented, skilled and dedicated physicians and staff to provide the finest care available. This is indeed an achievement that we can all be proud of." With one of the Bay Area's largest and most comprehensive orthopedic programs, John Muir Health is recognized for providing the latest technology and innovative treatment options. Highlights include:

• Minimally invasive techniques for total hip and knee replacement to advanced traumatic reconstruction.
• Board-certified, specialty-trained orthopedic surgeons on staff specialize in such areas as total joint, spine, hand, trauma and sports medicine.

John Muir Health is also a regional leader in diagnosing and treating of malignant and benign gastrointestinal disorders. We offer:

• Technologically-advanced treatments such as minimally invasive colorectal surgery, liver resections, small and large bowel procedures, stomach, esophageal, pancreatic, duodenal and other digestive system procedures.
• Highly-trained specialists such as gastroenterologists, surgeons and other healthcare professionals committed to delivering innovative and compassionate care.

In addition, John Muir Health has advanced programs for improving the quality of life of those suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma and pulmonary disease (COPD); offers nationally-recognized inpatient and outpatient care for individuals with diabetes and other endocrine disorders; and is committed to providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care and services for its geriatric population.

For further information on the recognition from U.S. News, visit www.usnews.com.

[back to top]

John Muir Health Hospitals receive American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Silver Performance Achievement Award for Heart Failure Care

2008 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Centers - Walnut Creek and Concord Campuses have received the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) Silver Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association.

The recognition signifies that both John Muir Medical Centers have reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance for one year to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients.

Both John Muir Medical Centers exceeded the goal of 85 percent set by the GWTG program and reached 100 percent compliance for many of the standards of care for heart failure.

Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations.

According to GWTG-HF treatment guidelines, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk-reduction therapies such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors in the hospital. They also receive self management counseling, smoking cessation counseling and heart failure education before being discharged.

"The full implementation of national heart failure guideline recommended care is a critical step in preventing recurrent hospitalizations and prolonging the lives of heart failure patients," said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the GWTG Steering Committee and director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center.

"The goal of the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals like John Muir Medical Center implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce disability and the number of deaths in these patients."

According to the American Heart Association, about 5.2 million people suffer from heart failure. Statistics also each year more than 57,000 people will die of heart failure.

"Both John Muir Medical Centers in Concord and Walnut Creek are dedicated to making our care for heart failure patients among the best in the country. We will continue in our efforts and build off the success of this award by continued implementation of the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure program that allowed us to accomplish this goal," said Margaret Simor, director, John Muir Cardiovascular Service Line.

GWTG-Heart Failure helps John Muir Health's staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality-improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable John Muir Health to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering the recurrence of heart attacks.

The program mobilizes teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines.

For further information on the recognition from the American Heart Association, visit www.americanheart.org.

[back to top]

John Muir Health Hospitals Receive American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines Silver Performance Achievement Award for Coronary Artery Care

2008 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Center - Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses recently received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) Silver Performance Achievement Award.

The award recognizes John Muir Medical Centers' commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

According to the GWTG-CAD treatment guidelines, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, aspirin, ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers in the hospital and receive smoking cessation counseling and referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before they are discharged.

Hospitals that receive the GWTG-CAD Silver Performance Achievement Award have demonstrated for at least one year that 85 percent of its eligible coronary patients (without contraindications) are discharged following the American Heart Association's recommended treatment guidelines. Both John Muir Medical Centers exceeded the goal of 85 percent compliance for many of the standards of care for coronary artery disease.

"The American Heart Association applauds John Muir Medical Centers for their success in implementing the appropriate evidence-based care and protocols to reduce the number of recurrent events and deaths in cardiovascular disease patients," said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. "John Muir Health has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments."

"Both John Muir Medical Centers are dedicated to making our cardiac units among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of our cardiac patients," said Margaret Simor, director, Cardiovascular Service Line. "We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in cardiac care."

The American Heart Association's GWTG-CAD program helps hospitals increase the use of and adherence to the association's secondary prevention guidelines for coronary artery disease. Developed to assist healthcare professionals follow proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG-CAD can help John Muir Health reduce the risk of recurrent heart attacks and death in treated patients.

The program, which works by mobilizing teams in acute care hospitals to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines, was developed with support from an unrestricted educational grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 565,000 people suffer a new heart attack and 300,000 experience a recurrent heart attack each year. Statistics also show that within one year of a heart attack, 18 percent of men and 23 percent of women will die. Within five years after an attack, about 33 percent of men and 43 percent of women will die.

The American Heart Association's GWTG program is being implemented in hospitals around the country.

For further information on the recognition from the American Heart Association, visit www.americanheart.org.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus Earns Magnet Recognition for
Nursing Excellence

2008 -- The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has awarded its Magnet recognition status for excellence in nursing services and quality nursing care to John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus. The Magnet Recognition Program^® recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing practice and adherence to national standards for the organization and delivery of nursing services. The honor reflects that the nursing care program has been named one of the best in the nation.

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus is the only center in the East Bay to achieve Magnet recognition status. It is the 12th site to be recognized in California. Nationwide, fewer than 300 organizations have received this accolade. Currently, John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus is also on the journey to nursing excellence.

To earn Magnet recognition, organizations undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes extensive interviews and review of nursing services. Research shows there are clear benefits to hospitals that are awarded Magnet status, and to the communities they serve:

• Health care consumers have more confidence in the overall quality of a hospital if it has achieved the level of excellence established by the Magnet Recognition Program.
• Magnet designated facilities consistently outperform other facilities in recruiting and retaining quality nurses, resulting in increased stability in patient care and patient satisfaction.
• Because quality nursing is one of the most important factors in enlisting high caliber physicians and specialists, Magnet status becomes an attractive force that extends to the entire organization.

Additional information about the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Magnet Recognition Program is available online at the ANCC Web site.

[back to top]

John Muir Health hospitals recognized with Gold Sustained Performance Award for quality stroke care by American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

2007 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus and John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek campus are among 277 hospitals in the United States recognized in the July 23 issue of US News & World Report by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's Get With the Guidelines SM (GWTG) program in an ad for its performance achievement in stroke patient care.

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's GWTG program is a quality-improvement program that helps hospitals insure that patients consistently receive cardiac and stroke care in accordance with the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations.

GWTG has three modules to help hospitals use evidence-based guidelines to treat patients with coronary artery disease, stroke and/or heart failure. Hospitals that continually meet or exceed the nationally accepted standards, or guidelines, improve their quality patient care by turning guidelines into lifelines.

Upon meeting criteria specific to each module, hospitals are recognized for performance achievement if at least 85 percent of their cardiac or stroke patients (without contraindications) are treated and discharged according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's guidelines and recommendations. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's ad recognizes John Muir Health's commitment and success in performance achievement.

"GWTG is about improving quality of care and saving lives, so the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association wanted to recognize John Muir Health's contribution to quality cardiovascular care in a publication such as US News & World Report, which focuses its July issue on the top 100 hospitals. Both John Muir campuses have implemented and maintained the appropriate standards of performance in cardiac and stroke care for patients," said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., American Heart Association volunteer chairman for the national GWTG Steering Committee. "We are proud of John Muir Health's efforts for implementing these lifesaving treatments."

For further information on the recognition from the American Heart Association, visit www.americanheart.org.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center - Concord and Walnut Creek Campus Receives American Heart Association's "Get With the Guidelines" Bronze Performance Achievement Award

2007 -- John Muir Medical Center - Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses have received the "Get with the Guidelines (GWTG)" Bronze Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association for coronary heart disease (CAD) and heart failure (HF). The award recognizes John Muir Health's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure.

To receive the bronze in both heart failure and coronary heart disease award, both campuses demonstrated for at least 90 days that more than 85 percent of its eligible coronary patients and heart failure patients (without contraindications) were discharged following the American Heart Association's recommended treatment guidelines (Table 1). The American Heart Association's GWTG-CAD and GWTG-HF programs help hospitals increase the use of and adherence to the association's guidelines for coronary artery disease and heart failure. Developed to assist healthcare professionals folow proven standards and procedures before patients are discharged, GWTG-CAD and GWTG-HF is helping John Muir Health improve patient outcomes.

"The American Heart Association applauds John Muir Health for its success in implementing the appropriate evidence-based care and protocols to reduce the number of recurrent events, disability and death in cardiovascular and heart failure patients," says Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the Get With The Guidelines Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. "John Muir Health has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments," he adds.

"John Muir Health is dedicated to making our hospitals among the best in the country by providing leading-edge care in a compassionate environment," says Margaret Simor, RN, MSN, CRN. "The American Heart Association's Get with the Guidelines program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of our cardiac patients and prolonging the lives of those in heart failure. We are pleased to be recognized for our dedication and achievements in these areas." Our participation in Get with the Guidelines demonstrates our commitment to quality care. We are proud to be a part of the American Heart Association's efforts to turn guidelines into lifelines^SM.

[back to top]

HealthGrades Ranks John Muir Medical Centers Among Top Five Percent of U.S. Hospitals for Clinical Excellence

2007 -- In an independent study released today of clinical care at nearly 5,000 U.S. hospitals, John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus and John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus ranked among the top five percent of hospitals nationally for the second consecutive year.

The annual study of mortality and complication rates across 27 medical procedures and diagnoses is conducted by HealthGrades, the independent health care quality company that analyzes clinical outcomes, performance and quality at the nation's 4,971 non-federal hospitals. This year, only 296 hospitals achieved ranking in the top five percent.

In presenting the 2008 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ to each of the medical centers, HealthGrades noted that patients admitted to hospitals receiving the award are, on average, 27 percent less likely to face mortality and 5 percent less likely to experience a major complication.

HealthGrades estimates that, if all patients at surveyed hospitals in 2004-2006 were treated at Distinguished Hospitals, 171,424 lives could have been saved and 9,671 post-operative complications could have been avoided.

"We're pleased to have the independent HealthGrades organization recognize the efforts of our exceptional hospital and medical staffs," says Roy Kaplan, M.D., medical director of quality and clinical effectiveness. "Clinical excellence is ingrained in the culture of John Muir Health. We're constantly pushing ourselves, even beyond the boundaries of national benchmarks. We strive for the ideal: optimal outcomes and safety for every patient."

Dawn Knight, vice president of quality and patient safety for John Muir Health, echoes this characterization. "The HealthGrades award is validation of the work we do every day. At John Muir Health, we expect nothing less than exceptional care. Benchmarks and national targets are great sources of comparison but they fall short of excellence. This means that, in our pursuit of quality, we're concerned with each and every patient, not just a majority."

For example, in 2007, when the Centers for Disease Control established a national benchmark for hospital-acquired pneumonia at 2.7 per 1,000 days for patients on ventilators, Knight says they targeted zero infections. In a report just released, the John Muir medical centers in Walnut Creek and Concord reported that, in 2007, ventilator-associated pneumonia rates were 0.2 and 0.3, respectively, per 1,000 ventilator days.

For more information www.healthgrades.com.

Readers of "J" Pick John Muir Medical Centers as Favorites

2007 -- The Concord and Walnut Creek campuses of John Muir Medical Center were rated as the favorite East Bay hospital winners in the August 2007 Readers' Choice Awards for "J" - the Jewish news weekly of Northern California. The award also references the Behavioral Health Center and John Muir Physician Network.

John Muir Medical Center - Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses Recognized for Implementing Quality Stroke Care

John Muir Medical Center's Concord and Walnut Creek campuses were recognized earlier this year by the American Stroke Association's "Get With the Guidelines" (GWTG) program for their performance achievement in stroke patient care. The Concord Campus is the recipient of the gold Sustained Achievement Award and the Walnut Creek Campus received the silver Annual Achievement Award. Both awards recognize John Muir Health's success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

To receive the gold Sustained Achievement Award, the Concord Campus consistently complied for 24 consecutive months with the requirements in the GWTG - Stroke program. These include aggressive use of interventions like tPA (clot-busting medication), antithrombotic medications, anticoagulation therapy, DVT prophylaxis, cholesterol reducing drugs, and smoking cessation education. The Walnut Creek Campus received the silver Achievement Award for following the GWTG-Stroke program for 12 consecutive months. To achieve these recognition levels, hospitals must demonstrate 85 percent adherence in the GWTG-Stroke key measures.

"With a stroke, time lost is brain lost and these GWTG-Stroke achievement awards address the important element of time," says Raymond Stephens, M.D., medical director for the Stroke Center at the Concord Campus. "Both our Concord and Walnut Creek campuses are committed to providing excellent care. We are proud that both medical centers are being recognized for the quality of care we deliver to our stroke patients."

As Primary Stroke Centers certified by the Joint Commission, a national surveyor of quality patient care, John Muir Medical Center's Concord and Walnut Creek campuses and the first in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, have an organized approach to assessing and treating patients who are having a stroke. Both campuses follow national standards and guidelines that can significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients. These include: rapid assessment of stroke symptoms, neurologists available for consultation 24-hours a day, use of state-of-the-art treatment options including intravenous tPA, designated stroke care units, participation in research protocols, professional stroke education, access to an inpatient rehabilitation unit and outpatient physical rehabilitation services.

Each year, about 700,000 people in the United States suffer a stroke - 500,000 are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent. Of stroke survivors, 22 percent of men and 25 percent of women die within a year, and for those aged 65 and older, the percentage is even higher.

"The American Stroke Association commends John Muir Medical Center's Walnut Creek and Concord campuses for their success in implementing standards of care and protocols," says Lee H. Schwamm, M.D., national GWTG Steering Committee Member and director of acute stroke services at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "The full implementation of acute care and secondary prevention recommendations and guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives and improving outcomes of stroke patients."

About John Muir Neurosciences Institute:
The John Muir Neurosciences Institute is one of the Bay Area's most advanced and comprehensive resources for neurosciences. The Institute offers the latest treatment options for stroke, brain injury, brain tumors, neurotrauma, dementia and spinal injury. The John Muir Neurosciences Institute's clinical specialists are experts who provide some of the most comprehensive neurologic diagnostic treatment available. Visit johnmuirhealth.com for additional details.

About the American Stroke Association:
The American Stroke Association offers a wide array of programs, products and services, from patient education materials to scientific statements with cutting-edge information for healthcare professionals. The organization, a division of the American Heart Association, is a committed leader in providing credible stroke information to individuals and healthcare providers. For more information about the American Stroke Association or its initiatives, visit StrokeAssociation.org or call 1-888-4-STROKE. For more information about Get With The Guidelines - Stroke, e-mail guidelinesinfo@heart.org or visit: www.strokeassociation.org/getwiththeguidelines.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus Named Consumer Choice Award Winner

2007 -- John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus has been recognized as a top Consumer Choice Award winner for quality and image by the Oakland/East Bay community in a recent National Research Corporation (NRC) survey.

Each year NRC honors those hospitals whose consumers rate as having the best quality and image. Now, in its twelfth year, NRC surveyed more than 200,000 households across the country to determine the nation's top hospitals. The Walnut Creek Campus, one of 225 award recipients, was selected by the East Bay community alongside another facility as having exceptional service and care.

Survey respondents were extensively polled on their opinions about local hospital/facilities and care. Among the questions asked: which local hospital has the best doctors, best nurses and best overall quality and image.

11 Gold Seals of Approval™ for John Muir Health

2007 -- John Muir Health received 11 Gold Seals of Approval™ in 2007 from The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United State are evaluated and accredited by the Joint Commission.

"We view obtaining Joint Commission accreditation as another step toward achieving excellence," says J. Kendall Anderson, president and CEO, John Muir Health. "The 11 Gold Seals are a validation of our commitment to continuous quality improvement and delivering safe, high quality care."

"Above all, the national standards are intended to stimulate continuous, systematic and organization-wide improvement in an organization's performance and the outcomes of care," says Darlene Christiansen, executive director, Hospital Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. "The accreditation award recognizes John Muir Health's dedication to complying with The Joint Commission's state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis."

Gold Seals were received by John Muir Medical Centers – Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses; the John Muir Walnut Creek ambulatory care services; John Muir Behavioral Health Center; John Muir Home Health Services; John Muir Medical Centers- Concord and Walnut Creek Campuses' Laboratory Services. John Muir Health also received Gold Seal certifications for disease-specific health care in the areas of Stroke, Diabetes and Wound Care.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center Named One of "America's Best Hospitals"

2007 -- WALNUT CREEK, CA - John Muir Medical Center has been named one of "America's Best Hospitals 2007" by U.S.News & World Report for Orthopedics and Digestive Disorders. This year, 5,462 medical centers were evaluated; John Muir Medical Center's Walnut Creek Campus was among 173 hospitals nationwide to receive the "Best Hospitals" distinction.

According to U.S. News, the rankings were developed and the specialties chosen explicitly to help consumers determine which hospitals provide the best care for the most serious and complicated medical conditions and procedures - not for those that are relatively commonplace.

With the Bay Area's largest and most comprehensive orthopedic program, John Muir Health is committed to providing the latest technology and innovative treatment options from minimally invasive techniques for total hip and knee replacement to advanced traumatic reconstruction. With board certified, specialty trained orthopedic surgeons on staff who specialize in such areas as total joint, spine, hands, trauma and sports medicine, John Muir Health is recognized for its advanced approach to orthopedic medicine. John Muir Health is also ranked number one in Northern California by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (2005 data) for the volume of orthopedic surgeries performed at its medical centers each year, and is pursuing the development of a freestanding orthopedic hospital to further provide highly-specialized, dedicated orthopedic care to the community.

John Muir Health is also a regional leader in the diagnosing and treatment of both malignant and benign digestive disorders. Technologically-advanced treatments such as minimally invasive colorectal surgery, liver resections, small and large bowel procedures, stomach, esophageal, pancreatic, duodenal and other digestive system procedures are all performed. John Muir Health has an array of highly-trained specialists such as gastroenterologists, surgeons and other healthcare professionals committed to delivering innovative and compassionate care.

"This recognition further highlights our commitment to our patients and the community," says J. Kendall Anderson, President and CEO for John Muir Health. "We believe in our talented, skilled and dedicated physicians and staff, to provide the finest care available. This is indeed an achievement that we can all be proud of."

For further information on the recognition from U.S. News, visit www.usnews.com.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus has received a 2006 - 2007 Consumer Choice Award from the National Research Corporation (NRC).

The Consumer Choice Award identifies hospitals in 180 markets throughout the United States that healthcare consumers have chosen as having the highest quality and image. This is the second year that this campus has been the sole recipient of the award in the Oakland region. Winners are determined by consumer perceptions on multiple quality and image ratings collected in the annual NRC Healthcare Marketing Guide (R) study. Of the 3,000 hospitals named by consumers in the study, the winning facilities rank highest in their Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's), as defined by the United States Census Bureau.

John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus Receives Emergency Department Team of the Year Award

2007 -- The physicians and staff of the Emergency Department (ED) at John Muir Medical Center - Concord Campus displayed exceptional commitment to delivering the very best in emergency medical care and their collected efforts earned the ED a 2006 Emergency Department Team of the Year Award from CEP America, the national partnership practice model of the California Emergency Physicians (CEP) Medical Group.

In patient satisfaction, the Concord Campus ED continues to maintain top marks on the CEP survey tool on which they rank 2nd in their volume group and 9th out of all CEP-staffed sites. On the Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys, the ED ranked in the 98th percentile for overall rating of ED care. In addition, the ED physicians ranked at the 97th percentile and ED nurses ranked at the 91st percentile among their peer group on the Press Ganey survey.

The ED, a CEP-staffed site since 2003, embarked on many successful initiatives and improvements throughout 2006 such as an increased number of patient call backs, immediate bedding and bedside registration as well as the creation of an ED and a hospital wide patient flow committee to help alleviate overcrowding as ell as maintaining an average time to see a physician of 35 minutes.

John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus Receives HHS Organ Donation Medal of Honor

2007 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded an Organ Donation Medal of Honor to John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus. The Walnut Creek Campus was among 18 hospitals in Northern California to earn the award.

Dean Charkow, R.N., CCRN, manager, Critical Care Services, and Kim Pickard, R.N., ICU/NSICU, on the Walnut Creek campus, and Julie Gabbard, our hospital liaison from the California Transplant Donor Network, received the award on behalf of the Walnut Creek Campus staff for their efforts to save and improve lives by facilitating organ and tissue donation for transplantation.

Medal of Honor winners were recognized on October 19, 2006, at a dinner that was the capstone of the second annual Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative National Learning Congress in New Orleans, LA.

To be eligible for the Medal of Honor, hospitals must have at least eight eligible donors in a single, continuous 12-month period and have at least 75 percent of those patients who might become organ donors become actual donors. In 2006, the Walnut Creek Campus had 29 eligible organ donors with a donation rate of 75 percent. Because of the dedicated efforts of the hospital staff and the generosity of John Muir Medical Center organ donor families, 85 lifesaving transplants occurred in 2006. John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus has met the national conversion rate for two consecutive years.

The hospitals and organ procurement organizations receiving this award are being honored for their exemplary leadership and commitment to organ donors, donor families, and over 93,000 patients on the national transplant waiting list. They also are being honored for the effective relationships they have developed with each other that have generated these life-saving results.

[back to top]

John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus Receives Organ Donation Medal of Honor

2007 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded an Organ Donation Medal of Honor to John Muir Medical Center, Walnut Creek Campus. The Walnut Creek Campus was among 18 hospitals in Northern California to earn the award.

Medal of Honor winners will be recognized on October 19, 2006, at a formal dinner that will be the capstone of the second annual Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative National Learning Congress in New Orleans, LA. Dean Charkow, R.N., CCRN, manager, Critical Care Services and Kim Pickard, R.N., ICU/NSICU, on the Walnut Creek campus, and Julie Gabbard, our hospital liaison from the California Transplant Donor Network, will be receiving the award on behalf of the Walnut Creek Campus staff for their efforts to save and improve lives by facilitating organ and tissue donation for transplantation.

To be eligible for the Medal of Honor, hospitals must have at least 8 eligible donors in a single, continuous 12-month period and have at least 75 percent of those patients who might become organ donors become actual donors. In 2005, the Walnut Creek Campus had 26 organ donors with a donation rate of 78 percent. Because of the dedicated efforts of the hospital staff and the generosity of John Muir Medical Center organ donor families, 115 life saving transplants occurred in 2005 and 62 to date in 2006.

The hospitals and organ procurement organizations receiving this award are being honored for their exemplary leadership and commitment to organ donors, donor families, and over 93,000 patients on the national transplant waiting list. They also are being honored for the effective relationships they have developed with each other that have generated these life-saving results.

Fast Facts about Organ Donation

• More than 93,000 people in the United States are waiting for organ transplants to save their lives - 2,300 of those waiting are children under the age of 18. Currently, almost 9600 of these men, women and children are in the Transplant Network's Northern and Central California service area.
• Each day, 18 people - one every 90 minutes - die in the United States because of a shortage of organ donors. In 2004, more than 6,000 individuals died on the U.S. organ-transplant waiting list because the organs they needed were not donated in time.
• One person can potentially save up to eight lives as an organ donor, and improve the lives of more than 50 others through tissue donation. To become a donor, go to donateLIFEcalifornia.org. At this website one can both officially record their wish to be a donor and notify their family.

John Muir Physician Network receives top ratings from NCQA's Pay for Performance Survey

2007 -- A recent survey conducted by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a national organization focusing on measuring quality to improve health care, rating medical groups in California on a multiple clinical and related health care measures, reveal outstanding results for John Muir Physician Network (the Physician Network) across many measure.

Survey highlights include:

• Patient Satisfaction
  The Physician Network scored in the top 10% of medical groups statewide. This measure asks the patient to rate their overall healthcare they experienced with our physicians. This score is the best the Physician Network has ever achieved in this area.
• Diabetes Care for Control of LDL (low density lipids)
  The Physician Network is ranked number one in the State for the control of LDL levels in their patients.
• Heart Disease Care and Breast Cancer Screening
  The Physician Network also ranked among the best medical groups in the State.

For more information about this survey and the National Committee for Quality Assurance, click here: www.ncqa.org.

To learn more information about Quality initiatives at John Muir Health, click here.

[back to top]