An award that puts Botsford Hospital among the nation's top 100 medical facilities reflects both the quality and cost-effectiveness of care the hospital provides.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Walters said the Community Value 100 and Community Value Five-Star awards came as a surprise to hospital officials. While some awards require applications, this one was given by an independent company that uses publicly accessible data to evaluate the country's more than 6,000 hospitals.
"I think it demonstrates that we have a high quality of care," Walters said. "If you stick to evidence-based medicine, it really drives that quality."
He defined "evidence-based medicine" with an example: When someone comes into the emergency department with a bad headache, there are guidelines, supported by research, that show some of those patients need a CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan, and some do not. Rather than doing the expensive scan on every patient with a headache, Botsford relies on those guidelines.
That approach helped earn Botsford the prestigious award, but it's also part of the national health care debate.
"A lot of what we're talking about with health care reform across the country has to do with evidence-based protocols," Walters said. "... If you follow the evidence, you are most likely to have good outcomes.
"If we're going to control costs of medical care across the country, this is the model we're going to have to look at," he added.
While hospitals are measured by many rankings, Walters said the Community Value awards issued by Cleverley & Associates, a private company that provides objective information to hospitals and organizations serving the health care industry, are unique.
"It focuses on our efficiencies," Walters said. "It really demonstrates the value we provide to the community we serve."
The awards are a direct tribute to Botsford physicians and the quality of care they provide, Walters said. As a teaching hospital, Botsford also has a natural emphasis on staying abreast of the latest trends in medicine, he added.
"From a physician's standpoint, we're particularly proud of it because it demonstrates the quality of care we give here," he said.
Learn more about Botsford Hospital at botsford.org. Learn more about the Community Value awards at cleverleyassociates.com.
As read on: http://farmington-mi.patch.com/articles/botsford-named-among-top-100-community-value-hospitals?ncid=M255
