Women and Children's Measures
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.
Maternity Care
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
The percentage of newborn babies who were breastfeeding exclusively upon leaving the hospital. The mothers of these babies said they wanted to breastfeed at the time of admission and fed their babies only breastmilk throughout their hospital stay.
Why is this important?
Exclusive breastfeeding while in the hospital provides a number of benefits to the baby and the mother: it establishes effective suckling and feeding behaviors in the baby, it helps in establishing an adequate milk supply so the mother can continue to provide milk for her baby, breastmilk provides optimum nutrition for the baby, and more.
More Information
- Learn more about the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding.
- Read the 2007 San Francisco County Report on exclusive breastfeeding.
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
The percentage of first-time moms who deliver by Cesarean section. Low risk is defined by baby head first, not a multiple gestation, and at term.
Why is this important?
Sometimes it is not possible for babies to be born through the mother's vagina. In such cases, a cesarean delivery may be performed. It may be planned in advance when certain conditions are known. In some cases, if problems arise, the decision is made during labor.
What are we measuring?
The percentage of first-time moms who undergo an episiotomy during childbirth. This is an incision (cut) made through the perineum and the vaginal wall to help the birth process.
Why is this important?
It was once thought that episiotomy was helpful in the birth process but it is now accepted that routine episiotomy is more harmful than helpful. Therefore, episiotomy is reserved for specific reasons, such as stuck shoulders during birth.
What are we measuring?
The percentage of 3rd or 4th degree tears of the perineum (the area between a woman's vagina and anus) during delivery. A 3rd degree tear involves the sphincter muscle either partially or completely. A 4th degree tear goes completely through the rectal mucosa and involves several layers of repair.
Why is this important?
During childbirth, the perineum may tear or be cut. Third- and fourth-degree lacerations are the most severe types of tears and generally can occur during difficult deliveries. A low laceration rate is preferred.
What are we measuring?
The rate of newborn babies who received an Apgar score of less than seven when they were evaluated five minutes after birth. The Apgar score is a method of evaluating the physical condition of a newborn baby shortly after delivery. The score is a number determined by checking the heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, skin color and response to stimuli. Each of these signs can receive 0, 1, or 2 points. When the points are added up, the maximum score is 10.
Why is this important?
A baby who scores a 7 or above after birth is generally considered in good health. A score of less than 7 means that additional medical care may be necessary. However, most newborns with initial scores of less than 7 will eventually do just fine.
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
This indicates whether the hospital offers the option for a mother to deliver her baby vaginally after she has had a prior Cesarean section.
Why is this important?
Obstetricians have found that a woman who has had one C-section delivery does not necessarily have to deliver all future babies by C-section. This measure is provided to help you understand that a facility does offer vaginal birth after prior C-section.
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
Based on their care during their hospital stay, maternity patients were asked to rate the hospital on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the best care. "Overall Hospital Rating" shows the percentage of patients who scored the hospital as a 9 or 10 after risk adjustment.
Why is this important?
Listening to our patients is an important part of high quality health care, and measuring patients' experiences at California Pacific Medical Center helps us identify opportunities for improvement.
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
Maternity patients were asked whether they would recommend this hospital to friends and family.
Why is this important?
Listening to our patients is an important part of high quality health care, and measuring patients' experiences at California Pacific Medical Center helps us identify opportunities for improvement.
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Pediatric Asthma Care
Asthma is a chronic lung condition that causes problems getting air in and out of the lungs. Children with asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing. Appropriate treatment for asthma can reduce the risk of further attacks. National guidelines for treating children with asthma in the hospital recommend using the medications below.
What are we measuring?
The percentage of children with asthma who are given reliever medication (like albuterol) while they are in the hospital. Relievers are medications that relax the bands of muscle surrounding the airways and are used to quickly make breathing easier.
Why is this important?
National guidelines for treating children with asthma recommend using relievers in the severe phase and gradually cutting down the dosage of medications to provide control of asthma symptoms. Although there are guidelines for medication therapy for children with asthma, there is evidence that these guidelines are not being consistently followed. Using the appropriate medications will lower the risk of severe illness and/or death.
What are we measuring?
The percentage of children with asthma who are given oral or IV steroid medications while they are in the hospital. These medications work in the body as a whole, rather than just on the lungs. They help reduce inflammation and control allergic reactions.
Why is this important?
Oral or IV steroid medications control severe asthma well. That is why they are important for hospital care. Unfortunately, they can cause serious side effects when used long-term. That is why they are mainly used for severe episodes or chronic severe asthma, which cannot be controlled with other medications (like inhaled or oral bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory medications).
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Pediatric Infection Care
What are we measuring?
The rate of pneumonia developed by pediatric patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) on ventilators (machines that help them breathe). California Pacific's rate for 2008 was zero.
Why is this important?
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a lung infection that can develop in patients who are put on ventilators. Hospitals can reduce the risk of developing this very serious complication with careful attention to preventive measures.
What are we measuring?
The rate of bloodstream infections acquired by pediatric patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) due to an intravenous catheter. California Pacific's rate for 2008 was zero.
Why is this important?
A central intravenous catheter is a device inserted directly into a major blood vessel to allow quick delivery of medications. Patients in ICUs may have a central line placed if they need intravenous nutrition, medications, or monitoring. Central lines are often vital to care but provide an easy way for infection to enter the bloodstream. These infections are very serious but they can be often prevented with careful attention to preventive measures.
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Neonatal Care
CHART: California Campus | St. Luke's Campus
What are we measuring?
This indicates whether the hospital has a designated regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a full range of services, including surgery, for severely ill newborns and infants.
Why is this important?
A Neonatal ICU offers specialized medical and nursing care, delivered 24-hours a day by board-certified neonatalogists and an experienced nursing team. This team, combined with the NICU's state-of-the-art technology, ensures that your infant will receive the highest level of care possible.
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Web Sites
CalHospitalCompare
This Web site is the result of a partnership between three independent organizations dedicated to improving health care quality: The California HealthCare Foundation, the University of California at San Francisco Institute for Health Policy Studies, and the California Hospitals Assessment and Reporting Taskforce (CHART). Go here for more information on maternity care at California Pacific Medical Center.
California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC)
CMQCC is a long term collaborative effort of many organizations and individuals with sponsorship of the California Department of Public Health (Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Program) and the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC). It is devoted to eliminating preventable maternal death and injury and promoting equitable maternity care in California by bringing resources, tools, measures, and quality improvement techniques to providers, administrators, and public health leaders.
California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC)
CPQCC is a group of public and private California leaders in health care committed to improving care and outcomes for the State's pregnant mothers and newborns. The Collaborative includes 126 member hospitals, representing over 90% of all neonates cared for in California NICUs. Their major goal is the development of a Collaborative Network of public and private, Obstetric and Neonatal providers, insurers, public health professionals and business groups to support a system for benchmarking and performance improvement activities for perinatal care throughout California.
American Academy of Pediatrics
AAP is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. This Web site contains information on the Academy's activities and programs, policies and guidelines, publications and other child health resources.
National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
This is an organization of children's hospitals with 218 members in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, China, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It promotes the health and well-being of all children and their families through support of children's hospitals and health systems that are committed to excellence in providing health care to children.
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