Healthgrades has released its list of 2024 top hospitals for outpatient surgery.
Healthgrades is focused on helping consumers evaluate hospital quality. Its analysis utilizes patient outcome data from nearly every hospital in the United States.
This year, Healthgrades expanded its analysis of patient complication rates for outpatient orthopedic surgeries to include four areas: total knee replacement, total hip replacement, rotator cuff surgery, and back and neck surgeries.
Healthgrades list of top hospitals for outpatient surgical care included Healthgrades Outpatient Joint Replacement Excellence Award. This award was granted to 152 hospitals representing the top 10% in the nation. Its analysis also revealed five-star ratings for outpatient total knee replacement and outpatient total hip replacement.
This year Healthgrades also introduced a new award and five-star ratings. The new award was the Healthgrades Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award. It was granted to 134 hospitals representing the top 10% in the country. The new five-star ratings included outpatient rotator cuff surgery and outpatient back & neck surgery.
The analysis may be valuable to consumers, giving insight into patient outcomes across facilities. When selecting a facility, consumers may be able to use the lists for guidance as to where they may find “significantly better-than-expected outcomes” for outpatient procedures.
According to Healthgrades, “Patients treated at hospitals that received a 2024 Outpatient Joint Replacement Specialty Excellence Award have, on average, approximately 38% lower risk of experiencing a complication than if they were treated at non-recipient hospitals.” Additionally, “Patients treated at hospitals that received a 2024 Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery Specialty Excellence Award have, on average, approximately 40% lower risk of experiencing a complication than if they were treated at non-recipient hospitals.”
In 2024, only one hospital in the United States achieved five-star ratings for total knee replacement, total hip replacement, rotator cuff surgery, and back and neck surgery. Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) claimed this achievement.
HSS President, CEO, and Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus Bryan Kelly, M.D., MBA commented, “As outpatient surgery options become more available, it is very important that consumers have trustworthy guidance on the facts and implications of quality differences.”
Dr. Kelly continued, “HSS appreciates this unique recognition by Healthgrades, and its potential to help consumers make better choices about their care and encourage all providers to prioritize quality improvement.”
