Lakeside Hospital shares in $8.85 million for top performing hospitals

Lakeside Hospital shares in $8.85 million for top performing hospitals

Out of the 265 hospitals in New York state, only nine were named "top performers" and Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport is among the elite few. Hospitals participating in the Premier Hospital Quality Incentive demonstration, based on first year results in the national pay for performance initiative, will share in $8.85 million in Medicare bonus payments.

Patricia Heberger-Krauss, quality improvement coordinator at Lakeside, said the facility has always been involved in quality initiatives - some because they are required and others voluntarily. Participating in the Hospital Quality Incentive, was a way for Lakeside to look at the way its physicians provide care to certain diagnostic groups, she said, as well as look at the continuum of care offered and, if necessary, search for ways to improve the care offered.

"Lakeside has always striven for high quality performance-based services and staff continually measure outcomes to improve on the care we provide. We are pleased to receive this award and recognition for our efforts," Kevin C. Nacy, interim President of Lakeside Memorial Hospital, said.

Overall, for the more than 265 hospitals participating in the demonstration, composite quality improvement scores have improved in all five areas of measurement (management of acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, pneumonia, bypass surgery and hip and knee replacements). Hospitals performing in the top 10 percent for one of the conditions received a two percent bonus on Medicare payments for that condition. Hospitals in the second 10 percent get a one percent bonus. In year three of the demonstration, the worst performing 10 percent of hospitals are slated to receive a two percent reduction in payment for a given condition, with hospitals in the next lowest performing group receiving a one percent reduction.

"We are seeing that pay-for-performance works. We are seeing increased quality of care for patients, which will mean fewer costly complications - exactly what we should be paying for in Medicare," stated Mark B. McClelland, MD, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator.

Nacy said Pay for Performance is a new initiative for Medicare. "We're glad to be able to participate as Medicare is rewarding those facilities that are able to demonstrate they are meeting the criteria set forth and are committed to improving the quality of patient care - something that Lakeside has always been committed to."

Dr. Raymond Lanzafame, Lakeside Hospital's vice president for medical affairs, said the program gets the government and payors (insurance companies) involved in the patient care initiatives to raise the quality bar across the board. "The level of care a patient receives - especially in a smaller hospital - is at the top of the minds of families. They want to know, 'Will I receive quality care in a small hospital setting or do I need to be in a larger, university hospital?' This award demonstrates that Lakeside provides the highest level quality of care."

Lanzafame said that healthcare is a "moving target" and as research changes, the way a patient is cared for and recommended practices change. "We're constantly looking for ways to improve patient outcomes," he said.

In addition to providing a high level of care, facilities that participated in the incentive program had to demonstrate different levels of recording of data. "If the care provided isn't documented, it didn't happen," Lanzafame said. "While we have always had processes and procedures in place for documentation, the reporting practices are more detailed under the program."

Christine Miller, assistant vice president of physician practice, said the procedures followed by physicians didn't have to be altered to participate in the Medicare incentive. "Caregivers don't always know they are involved in new programs because they are following established protocols and procedures because it's the right thing to do when it comes to caring for patients," she said.

The fact that Lakeside is sharing in the Medicaid incentive shows the level of care the hospital and its caregivers offer. "Even though Lakeside is a smaller institution it is equal to any hospital in the city," he said. "We follow the same protocols as any other city hospital to provide good quality care to the patients that you don't always hear about in the smaller community hospitals. Our participation is really an opportunity for us to shine and show we are equal to other hospitals in the area."