Two patients said they owed their lives to Providence Medical Center today at a celebration of the hospital’s Healthgrades 2018 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence.
Brad Spicer described his recovery from a series of heart attacks, and Susan Franklin talked about her stroke treatment at Providence Medical Center, 8929 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. They were joined at the celebration by Providence staff members and community leaders including Mayor David Alvey.
“This place definitely saved us,” Spicer said. “I owe them my life. I got my life back, and I owe it to Providence for getting my life back.”
“I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else,” Spicer said.
Franklin described how her face, arm and leg felt numb, and how she was treated with medication for a stroke within about 31 minutes.
“They saved me, they saved my life, they saved my brain,” Franklin said. “Providence, they will take care of you.
“I’m back doing everything I was doing before,” she said. “They took such good care of me, I’m so thankful, I can’t speak highly enough of them.”
The two patients also appeared in a video shown during a celebration of awards Wednesday afternoon at the Providence Keenan Education Center. About 100 persons attended the event. A reception was held afterward.
Dr. Sabato Sisillo, chief medical officer at Providence Medical Center, said Providence was one of only three hospitals in the Greater Kansas City area to receive the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence. The clinical excellence award is given to hospitals in the top 5 percent in the nation, and it recognizes the lowest mortality and complication rates in at least 21 of 32 common conditions and procedures.
Some of the other Healthgrades awards Providence received recently included one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for orthopedic surgery, gastrointestinal care and general surgery. Providence also received excellence awards for orthopedic surgery, pulmonary care, gastrointestinal care, general surgery, critical care and patient surgery.
According to the Healthgrades website, the hospitals in the Greater Kansas City area receiving the award for clinical excellence included Providence, the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, and St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
Maggie Foley, director of quality solutions for Healthgrades, said the rating system helps empower patients with key information about hospitals, physicians and outcomes. This helps consumers make decisions about quality of care provided, she said.
“Hospitals with high clinical quality have fewer complications and deaths,” Foley said. The patients at these hospitals on average have a lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the designation.
“We believe it is your dedication to consistent, high quality of care practices, that has resulted in success,” she said.
Karen Orr, administrator of Providence Medical Center, said hearing stories from patients reinforces the commitment to provide the best care possible for patients.
“Our physicians, our staff, everyone here, we all share the same goal of high quality compassionate care,” Orr said.
“I believe the fundamental purpose of government is to fulfill a promise of providing good neighborhoods for our citizens, and to do so at the least burden possible,” Mayor Alvey said.
In order to do that, they must depend on institutions and individuals across the city, to grab hold of a mission important to them, and to drive that mission to attainment, he said.
Alvey also noted in his short remarks that his mother did her nurse’s training at Providence years ago, and that he was born at the former Providence hospital location.
“It’s a celebration for our entire city and entire community,” Alvey said in congratulating Providence staff. “Kansas City, Kansas, and Providence have in many ways grown up together in their efforts to serve and care for a wonderful, vital community.
“Kansas City, Kansas, and Providence have vibrant futures,” Alvey said.