Rockford, IL,
19
December
2017
|
10:43 AM
America/Chicago

Top Honors for Orthopedic Care

Becker's ranks OSF Saint Anthony on its list of 100 hospitals with great orthopedic programs

Becker's Healthcare, an independent evaluator of medical centers and health systems, says the orthopedic programs at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, in Rockford, are among the best in the nation.

Their list of the top 100 programs in the US examined several rankings and awards for excellence in orthopedic care, including U.S. News & World Report rankings for adult and pediatric orthopedic care, CareChex rankings and Blue Distinction Center designation in addition to the organization's reputation for orthopedic care.   

With 30 surgeons on staff, Saint Anthony has one of the most robust orthopedic service lines in the region allowing for treatment of practically any problem or diagnoses. 

"We have four hand surgeons, we have four orthopedic trauma surgeons," says Dr. Harneet Bath, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center. "For a hospital this size and in a community the size of Rockford, that is not easy to get. As compared to our competitors, we have a much better and bigger list of these specialties then are available in the area."

download
Dr. Bath SB 1

For the patient, the Becker's ranking tells them that Saint Anthony is committed to making sure they receive the highest quality of care for their joint replacement, hand surgery and sports injury. Dr. Andreas Fischer, an orthopedic surgeon with OSF Healthcare Medical Group with 20 years of experience, attributes the ranking to Saint Anthony's comprehensive team approach. 

"They follow the progress and the outcomes, at least from a surgeon's standpoint, very closely," says Dr. Andreas Fischer, an orthopedic surgeon with OSF HealthCare Medical Group. "They have teams set up to take care of the patients. Particularly in the joint replacement arena, where they meet nurses and therapists even before the surgery - kind of get a little exposure to the hospital and what to expect. Then you come into the OR nurses who are also part of the team. Then come nurses on the floor and therapists on the floor. We get the patients up as soon as possible."

download
Dr. Fischer SB 1

And while proud of the achievements of the medical center's orthopedic program, Fisher is also encouraged that OSF and Saint Anthony continues to seek and work at ways to improve outcomes and the patient experience.

"The hospital is building a new wing just for private rooms now, which is not only a benefit for patients and their families, but also for infection concerns," says Dr. Fischer. "The procedures have changed to some degree to allow a quicker recovery, less pain. The whole pain management approach has undergone a big change as well."

download
Dr. Fischer SB 2

Pointing to the ever improving benchmarks - especially for post-operative recovery - part of what led to Becker's 100 ranking for Saint Anthony's orthopedic programs - Dr. Bath says this is only further evidence of the medical center's commitment to patient care that has resulted in other independent accolades.  

"The Joint Commission gives us their seal of approval, as we are a center of excellence for total joints," says Dr. Bath. "There's another independent organization called CareChex. All they do is look at data from various hospitals from across the country. And they put us at number one in total joints in the state of Illinois. There are six other facilities that are also placed at number one - that we all have the same scores, but we were the only one from our area, in northern Illinois."

download
Dr. Bath SB 2

Additionally, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony is on the US News and World Report list a best hospitals for the past three years. 

For a consultation, call OSF Medical Group - Orthopedic Surgery, in Rockford at 815.398.7755 or visit www.osfhealthcare.org