How We Measure Up Nationally

Lean how our care compares to that of other hospitals nationwide

It's easy to say “Quality is our Goal.” Living up to that pledge takes hard work and the dedication of everyone at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. We live up to that pledge with these three ingredients:

The right people. Our people meet the highest standards of their professions, with a dedication to excellence, advanced certification and hands-on experience.

The right care. Compassion, experience and the use of current research results when treating patients—that's what evidence-based medicine is all about.

The right systems. The desire to do things better drives technology and process enhancements, allowing us to provide the most advanced treatment options.

Measuring Quality. We can tell you about the quality of care we provide, but the opinions of independent observers are more valuable to you as a patient. The most prominent of these is Press Ganey, a research firm that measures patient satisfaction for the hospital as a whole and for smaller groups within the hospital. Every employee knows our current ratings and continually works to maintain our high patient satisfaction standards.

Learn How We Rate with Outside Organizations

These sites, operated by reputable outside organizations, allow you to compare LVHHN's quality care with that of other hospitals

U.S. News & World Report's America's Best Hospitals
Use U.S. News & World Report lists to locate the nation's best health care centers in 17 specialties, from cancer and heart disease to pediatrics and urology.

JCAHO (Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)
Find out whether or not a hospital meets 250 strict safety and quality standards needed for JCAHO accreditation. Eighty-five percent of hospitals nationwide are accredited by JCAHO annually.

Leapfrog Group
Learn the quality of care valued by health care purchasers—more than 170 corporations and other organizations that buy health care services. Find out what they recognize as standards for safety, quality and affordability of health care and how we compare to other hospitals in those areas.

Solucient
Learn what to look for in cost and quality of health care. Solucient ranks hospitals in specific care areas (such as heart care), and also provides tools and vital insights hospitals use to improve their performance.

Integrated Health Networks 100
Learn which health networks operate best as a unified organization. These hospitals use the latest technology to operate efficiently and build a strong base of health-care services.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
Compare information from an independent state agency about the most efficient and effective health care providers.

Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program
By using survey results compiled by the American Osteopathic Association, this site evaluates hospitals under Medicare.

Nursing Magnet Status
See which hospitals attract and retain the best nurses. Less than 3 percent of hospitals nationwide earn Magnet status through the American Nurses Association’s Magnet Recognition Program.

HealthGrades
Find out if a hospital has received one, three or five stars from HealthGrades in certain specialty areas, as determined by quality results from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Hospital Compare
Measure how well hospitals care for you if you have conditions like heart attack, heart failure or pneumonia. This site features Hospital Compare, a joint venture of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and the National Quality Alliance.

Learn What To Look For in Quality Care

These independent organizations advocate on your behalf as a patient:

Press Ganey
Learn what to look for in hospital customer service using Press Ganey, the provider of customer surveys to improve patient satisfaction.
National Quality Forum
Here you can evaluate whether health care is safe, timely, beneficial, patient-centered, equitable and efficient.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Find out the latest positive changes in health care.

Institute of Medicine
Find the most reliable, evidence-based information about health and science policy.

National Committee for Quality Assurance
Learn what to look for in the quality of health care insurance plans.

National Committee for Quality Health Care
Monitor the opinions of senior leaders in health care on issues such as reducing medical errors, the ethical use of advanced technology and patient safety.

National Health Care Purchasing Institute
Learn what to look for in the health care purchasing practices of major corporations and government agencies. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsors this Institute through a grant to the Academy for Health Services Research and Health Policy.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Access research that helps improve the quality, safety, efficiency and effectiveness of health care.

National Patient Safety Foundation
Learn what to look for in patient safety.

Learn What to Look For From Your Physician

You can find information about the education and experience of our physicians in the "Find a Doctor" section of our web site. To learn more about physician education and experience, try these sites:
American Board of Internal Medicine (board certification of internists and most specialists)
American Board of Family Practice
American Board of Pediatrics
American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology
American Board of Surgery

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