Special to Iredell Free News

Iredell Memorial Hospital has been named a “High Performing” hospital by U.S. News & World Report as part of its 2023-2024 Best Hospitals rankings.

The hospital was recognized as high performing in three medical specialties – heart failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is the highest distinction a hospital can earn for U.S. News Best Hospitals Procedures & Conditions ratings.

Hospitals that performed significantly better than average for a common procedure or condition earn a High Performing rating for that type of care. U.S. News’s evaluations of common procedures and conditions are based entirely on objective quality data, such as patient outcomes.

Of more than 4,500 hospitals that U.S. News evaluated, fewer than 2,000 earned a high performing rating.

“We are pleased to see our local, community-owned hospital’s name on this list with many other stellar regional and national organizations. Our goal has and will always be to provide a high-quality and reliable healthcare option locally. These results really speak to that focus,” said John Green, president & CEO of Iredell Health System

The three high performing medical specialties at Iredell Memorial Hospital — COPD, heart failure, and heart attack — each shined in various areas of patient care.

COPD

Iredell Memorial Hospital has a high volume of COPD patients, making respiratory therapists at the hospital very experienced in this specialty.

“Both the pulmonary physicians and the respiratory therapists give 100% to help care for these patients. Respiratory therapists not only treat the patients and the disease but also educate the patients and families on how to care for themselves after discharge. It is very important for patients and families to know how to care for COPD symptoms and how to maintain their medications, diet, and exercise to help them avoid future hospitalizations,” said Jeannie Deal, director of Respiratory Care at Iredell Health System.

Iredell ranked high in nurse staffing, meaning that there is more nursing care per patient. High nurse staffing is associated with better outcomes and an overall better patient experience.

Additionally, the rate of survival 30 days after hospitalization for COPD, compared to other hospitals treating similar patients, was also better than the national average.

“It is important for the public to know that here at Iredell, we care about the community we serve. It is important to not only care for them while they are here but to know that we can help educate them on how to care for themselves outside of the hospital and physician’s office,” said Deal.

“I would like to thank the Piedmont HealthCare pulmonary group, our dedicated respiratory staff, and all the staff here at Iredell for the excellent compassion and care they provide to our community. Also, thank you to our wonderful patients and their families for trusting the respiratory therapists, pulmonary physicians, and all the staff here at Iredell to provide them with excellent care,” she added.

Heart Failure

Iredell Health System’s team of cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and expert nursing staff offers complete, comprehensive heart and vascular services to the community.

“It comes as no surprise that we are performing so well in caring for our patients living with heart failure. Our cardiology team has always been focused on delivering the best care possible to our patients to ensure the best possible outcome,” said Dr. Vijay S. Nagpal, medical director of Iredell Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department.

Contributing to the high-performing score, the heart failure specialty was ranked as “excellent” in the category of discharging patients directly to home. This category is based on how often patients can go directly home from the hospital rather than being sent to another facility. Most patients and families prefer recovery at home.

The heart failure specialty also ranked high in nursing care per patient, ensuring each of the hospital’s high volume of cardiac patients receive personalized care.

Iredell Memorial Hospital was also recognized for having an intensive care unit (ICU) for heart patients and for having its ICU staffed by a doctor specifically trained to care for critically ill patients.

“This recognition acknowledges the excellent clinical care provided by the cardiology team at Iredell. It should be comforting for the public to know that the data supports the cardiac care we are providing for our community. We strive for excellence for every person,” said Dr. Charles DeBerardinis, cardiologist at Iredell Health System.

Stroke

Iredell Memorial Hospital has long-term success in improving the outcomes of stroke patients, as it is a Certified Advanced Primary Stroke Center, accredited by The Joint Commission.

The hospital was recognized for having a high volume of stroke patients and high nurse staffing. It also ranked above the national average for giving patients time at home. This measures how successful a hospital is in enabling patients to live at home during their first 30 days of recovery, with no time or minimal time spent in a hospital or nursing home.

“A stroke can be scary for the patient and their families. We do have a high volume of stroke patients and our staff is highly qualified and experienced in treating stroke patients. This high performing rating will hopefully help to put families’ minds more at ease,” said Diane Galati, stroke and chest pain coordinator at Iredell Health System.

Additionally, the hospital was recognized for its outstanding transparency, publicly sharing its stroke data through the American Heart Association. This participation in data sharing fosters overall transparency and adoption of best practices.

“We look forward to proudly caring for our community in these and many other diagnoses for years to come,” said Green.

About Iredell Health System

Iredell Health System includes Iredell Memorial Hospital; Iredell Mooresville; two urgent care centers; Iredell Home Health; Iredell Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center; Community and Corporate Wellness; Occupational Medicine; the Iredell Physician Network and more. Iredell Memorial Hospital is the largest and only nonprofit hospital in Iredell County. The comprehensive healthcare facility has 247 beds; more than 1,800 employees; and has 260 physicians representing various specialties. Centers of excellence include Women’s and Children’s; Cardiovascular; Cancer; Surgical Services and Wellness & Prevention. The Health System’s second campus, Iredell Mooresville, is home to the area’s only 24-hour urgent care facility, as well as an ambulatory surgery center, imaging center, rehabilitation services, and physician practices. The mission of Iredell Health System is to inspire wellbeing. For a comprehensive list of services and programs, visit www.iredellhealth.org.