Palomar Health named America's 100 best for orthopedic surgery for six years in a row

SAN DIEGO – Palomar Medical Center Escondido is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Replacement, and Spine Surgery, according to new research released by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems. Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 31 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions.*

The hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery have demonstrated exceptional quality of care. For example, from 2018-2020, patients treated at hospitals receiving the America's 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery Award have, on average, a 41.0% lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award.*

Additionally, from 2018-2020, patients treated at hospitals which did not receive the America's 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery Award are, on average, 1.69 times more likely to experience one or more complications in the hospital than if they were treated at hospitals that did receive the award.*

Named by Newsweek as one of the World’s Best Hospitals in 2021, Palomar Health is anchored by two medical center campuses which provide an array of acute care services, obstetrics, rehabilitation, behavioral health, pediatrics and neonatal intensive care.

Palomar Health is the only health system in the county using the Globus robotics machine. This revolutionary robotic navigation platform is the world’s first technology to combine a rigid robotic arm and full navigation capabilities into one adaptable platform for accurate trajectory alignment in spine surgery. ExcelsiusGPS® is Globus Medical’s advanced technology solution designed to enhance safety and improve efficiency for patients, staff and surgeons in the operating room.

“Consumers can feel confident in the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery for their commitment to quality care and exceptional outcomes. The recognition helps provide peace of mind when selecting a place for care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Data Science at Healthgrades.

“Palomar Medical Center Escondido is the only hospital in San Diego County to achieve 100 Best hospitals in Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Replacement, and Spine Surgery in 2022," says Brian Cohen, Palomar Health Senior Director District Service Lines.

"Maintaining this level of excellence in a normal year is challenging, but to have done it throughout the pandemic is a true testament to our team's talent and dedication. Our orthopedic and spine providers are passionate about getting our patients back to moving and back to the lives they love," says Cohen.

Palomar Medical Center Escondido was also recognized for the following clinical achievements:

* One of Healthgrades America's 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement™ for 7 Years in a Row (2016-2022)

* One of Healthgrades America's 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery™ for 3 Years in a Row (2020-2022)

* Recipient of the Healthgrades Orthopedic Surgery Excellence Award™ for 7 Years in a Row (2016-2022)

* Recipient of the Healthgrades Joint Replacement Excellence Award™ for 7 Years in a Row (2016-2022)

* Recipient of the Healthgrades Spine Surgery Excellence Award™ for 3 Years in a Row(2020-2022)

* Recipient of the Healthgrades 2022 Surgical Care Excellence Award™

* Recipient of the Healthgrades Stroke Care Excellence Award™ for 3 Years in a Row (2020-2022)

* Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Sepsis for 4 Years in a Row (2019-2022)

* Recipient of the Healthgrades 2022 Surgical Care Excellence Award™

For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 45 million Medicare inpatient records for nearly 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide to assess hospital performance in 31 common conditions and procedures and evaluated outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 16 states. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital’s quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty area performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5-star (statistically significantly better than expected), 3-star (not statistically different from expected), and 1-star (statistically significantly worse than expected).

Submitted by Palomar Medical Center Escondido.