Heart Care

At California Pacific, we are committed to providing the highest quality of care and reporting publicly on our performance. The following comparison measurements have been chosen by federal and state agencies and other organizations as measurements of high quality medical care for some of the most common and costly conditions that hospitals treat. They measure whether important, recommended medical treatments are given to achieve the best results for patients.

Note: Our Quality data is submitted to different reporting agencies in different ways. Data/information that appear on California Pacific's Quality web pages may be assigned either to individual or combined campuses at California Pacific based on a set of complex rules, such as hospital license numbers and Medicare identification numbers.

Heart Attack Care

Timely and proper intervention can dramatically improve heart attack survival rates. Below are some of the key areas that medical experts focus on when treating patients who have a heart attack. Each of these actions is important to minimize damage to the heart, or help patients live well after they leave the hospital.

Aspirin on Arrival. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = 100%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 94%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients who receive an aspirin when they arrive at the hospital.

Why is this important?
Aspirin is an inexpensive, safe, and effective treatment for heart attack. While it is not appropriate for all patients, aspirin can help keep blood clots from forming and dissolve blood clots that can cause heart attacks.


Aspirin at Discharge. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = 100%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 93%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients who are given aspirin when they leave the hospital.

Why is this important?
Use of aspirin is an inexpensive, safe, and effective way to help reduce the risk of heart attack for some patients. Taking aspirin may help prevent further heart attacks, although it is not appropriate for all patients. The risk of heart attacks can be reduced if patients are given aspirin when they leave the hospital.

ACE Inhibitors or ARB at Discharge. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = No qualifying cases for this measure and time period. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 90%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients who receive an ACE Inhibitor or ARB when they leave the hospital.

Why is this important?
ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) Inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) are medicines used to treat heart attacks, heart failure, or a decreased function of the heart. They can significantly reduce the risk of death after a heart attack.

Adult Smoking Cessation Advice. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = No qualifying cases for this measure and time period. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 95%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients who smoke or who have quit within the past 12 months who receive smoking cessation advice counseling.

Why is this important?
There is a clear link between smoking and heart attacks. In particular, heart attack patients who stop smoking have a better prognosis than those who do not quit. By counseling patients to quit at a time when they are likely to be receptive to this message, hospitals can help them reduce their risk of future heart attacks.

Beta Blockers at Discharge. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = 100%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 93%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients given beta blockers when they leave the hospital.

Why is this important?
Hospitals can help reduce the risk of another heart attack by giving discharged patients beta blockers, which are a type of medicine that has been shown to reduce the risk of death from a heart attack in the future.

Primary PCI within 90 Minutes of Arrival. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = No qualifying cases for this measure and time period. Top 10%= 97%. National Average = 77%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart attack patients who received a successful balloon angioplasty (a procedure to open blockages in arteries that supply oxygen to the heart muscle and reverse the effects of a heart attack) within 90 minutes of arriving at the emergency room.

Why is this important?
Studies have shown that successful balloon angioplasty in 90 minutes or less reduces the risk of death from a heart attack.

Mean time to Primary PCI (minutes). Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A lower number is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 54.9. St. Luke's campus = No qualifying cases for this measure and time period. Top 10%= Comparative data not available for this measure. National Average = Comparative data not available for this measure. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The average time it takes from arrival at the emergency room until successful balloon angioplasty (a procedure to open blockages in arteries that supply oxygen to the heart muscle and reverse the effects of a heart attack).

Why is this important?
Studies have shown that successful balloon angioplasty in 90 minutes or less reduces the risk of death from a heart attack.

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Heart Failure Care

Heart failure has been called a new epidemic that affects nearly 5 million Americans and is the top cause of hospitalization for people over the age of 65. Below are some of the key areas that medical experts focus on when treating patients hospitalized with heart failure. Each of these actions will help patients live better with the disease.

Discharge Instructions for Self-Management. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 67%. St. Luke's campus = 78%. Top 10%= 99%. National Average = 76%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart failure patients given comprehensive discharge instructions for management of symptoms.

Why is this important?
Self-management skills and knowledge of this condition are critical factors for patients to lower their risk of death or re-hospitalization. This includes information on medications, weight monitoring, nutrition and diet, management of symptoms getting worse, and follow-up instructions.


Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 100%. St. Luke's campus = 100%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 89%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart failure patients given assessment of left ventricular function (LVF).

Why is this important?
Hospitals perform tests, such as echocardiograms, to assess how the left chamber of the heart is pumping in a patient with heart failure. This information is collected to determine the best way to treat the patient.

ACE Inhibitors and ARB for LVSD at Discharge. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 96%. St. Luke's campus = 100%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 89%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart failure patients who receive an ACE Inhibitor or ARB for left ventricular systolic dysfunction when they leave the hospital.

Why is this important?
ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) Inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) are medicines used to treat heart attacks, heart failure, or a decreased function of the heart. They can significantly reduce the risk of death after heart failure.

Adult Smoking Cessation Advice. Apr - Jun 2009. Note: A higher percentage is better. California, Pacific, and Davies campuses = 95%. St. Luke's campus = 95%. Top 10%= 100%. National Average = 91%. Reporting period for Top 10% and National Average: Jan - Dec 2008. Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

What are we measuring?
The percentage of heart failure patients who smoke or who have quit within the past 12 months that are given smoking cessation advice counseling.

Why is this important?
There is a clear link between smoking and heart failure. In particular, heart failure patients who stop smoking have a better prognosis than those who do not quit. By counseling patients to quit at a time when they are likely to be receptive to this message, hospitals can help them reduce their risk of future heart failure.

Links to National Databases that Report These Measures

Hospital Compare
Provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this site compares the quality of care provided by hospitals.

California HealthCare Foundation
This site compares how patients rate the care they received in California hospitals.

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