Good Samaritan Hospital in the Top 5 Percent in Women`s Health According to HealthGrades® Study

LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
Good Samaritan Hospital announced today that it has been recognized in the top
five percent for women`s health services and maternity care servicesbased on a
study by HealthGrades, the nation`s leading independent health care ratings
company. The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women`s Health in American Hospital Study
analyzed cardiac and stroke outcomes for women as well as maternity care.

The Sixth Annual HealthGrades Women`s Health in American Hospitals study
released today by HealthGrades analyzed two separate data sets:

1. Patient outcomes for the inhospital treatment of 16 procedures/diagnoses concerning women`s health, which included 2.6 million hospitalizations using Medicare data from all 50 states (2005-2007).
2. Hospital delivery and neonate records in more than 1,500 hospitals in 19 all-payer states (2005-2007), which included approximately 13 million patient records. The study found that wide gaps persist between the quality of care at best- and worst-performing hospitals.

If all hospitals in the study performed at the level of the best-performing
hospitals in women`s health, 18,089 women`s lives could have potentially been
saved and 6,849 complications could have been avoided during the years 2005,
2006 and 2007. 82 percent (14,930) of the potentially preventable deaths were
associated with the treatment of just four diagnoses: pneumonia, stroke, heart
failure, and heart attack.

The study also found that best-performing hospitals for maternity care had 52
percent fewer maternal complications among women who had vaginal births compared
to poor-performing hospitals and 76 percent fewer complications among women who
had C-sections. Patient-choice C-sections had the largest difference at 84
percent between best- and poor-performing hospitals.

Hospitals that receive the Women`s Health Excellence Award rank among the top
five percent of all hospitals nationwide when it comes to providing care to
women in three areas:

* Women`s Medicine (heart attack, congestive heart failure, pneumonia, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, and stroke);
* Women`s Cardiovascular Procedures (coronary bypass surgery, peripheral
vascular bypass, coronary interventional procedures, resection/replacement of
abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid surgery, and valve replacement); and
* Women`s Bone & Joint Health (total knee and total hip replacement surgeries,
spinal surgeries, and hip fracture repair).

"The way in which women present symptoms differ from men in acute situations,
such as heart attack," said Dr. Rick May, senior physician consultant with
HealthGrades and a study co-author. "Treatment for women can also differ and the
quality can certainly vary between hospitals, so it is important for women to
know which hospitals are recognized among the top five percent in the nation."

To be included in the Women`s Health analysis, hospitals had to have an open
heart program and treat significant numbers of women for stroke. Hospitals also
had to have a significant patient population in at least six additional cohorts
from all areas (pulmonary, cardiac, vascular, orthopedics and spine).

The study, along with HealthGrades` individual hospital ratings, can be viewed
for free at www.HealthGrades.com.

About Good Samaritan Hospital

First opened in 1885, Good Samaritan Hospital is a 408-bed tertiary care
facility offering some of the most comprehensive care in Los Angeles.Good
Samaritan Hospital offers Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery services,
Neurosciences program featuring the Gamma Knife radiosurgery, Ophthalmologic
Program including Retinal Surgery, Orthopedic Surgical Program including Sports
Medicine, Oncology Program using the latest in radiation therapy - IMRT and HDR,
Kidney Stone services, Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery Center, and
Emergency Services.For more information visit www.goodsam.org.

Good Samaritan Hospital
Katrina R. Bada, Manager, Public Relations & Marketing
213-977-2911
or
HealthGrades
Scott Shapiro, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
720-963-6584
sshapiro@healthgrades.com

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