Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center and Adventist Health Glendale received “A” grades for patient safety in a bi-annual assessment by hospital safety watchdog Leapfrog Group. They were the only local hospitals to receive the top score. Kaiser Panorama City has received an “A” rating in every assessment Leapfrog has conducted since the organization began the program in 2012. On the most recent survey, the hospital received the best possible score on several measures, including an assessment of leadership efforts to improve safety; physician staffing for intensive care units; and cooperation between staff members to prevent safety issues and patient falls. It scored above the survey average on most other measures. Adventist Health Glendale has received “A” grades since at least 2015, based on information available through the Leapfrog website. The hospital had perfect or above average scores in all but the “infections” category, which measures how many patients fell ill with common hospital-acquired infections such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, and urinary tract infections. Most other local hospitals scored either “B” or “C” ratings. Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys received a “D,” with below average scores in some assessments of staff and practices to prevent errors, while Mission Hills Community Hospital received an “F.” Neither hospital returned a request for comment by press time. The grade is a snapshot of hospitals’ performances between August 31, 2017 and January 31, 2018. About 2,500 hospitals nationwide are graded in the survey, the scores for which range from “A” to “F.” They are calculated based on hospitals’ responses to Leapfrog’s survey, which includes questions about the number of patients who have contracted infections, been injured or have suffered on account of medical errors as well as data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid and independent private hospital accrediting body the Joint Commission. ‘HealthX’ Speakers Experts in health care policy, kinesthesiology, breast cancer and cardiology spoke before a crowd of 70 at Adventist Health Glendale on April 20 for the Valley Economic Alliance’s annual “HealthX” summit, a Ted talk-style program that gives local industry professionals a chance to share their ideas. Santiago Muñoz, chief strategy officer at UCLA Health, discussed healthcare access in Los Angeles following the Affordable Care Act; Adventist cardiologist Dr. Harry Balian gave a presentation on transaortic valve replacement, a procedure that involves repairing damaged heart valves by putting a new valve inside the old one. Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, an oncologist at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, gave a talk on the impact of breast density and genetics on breast cancer risk, and Concorde Career College physical therapy Program Director Yelena Verba demonstrated how to alleviate a bicep injury using kinesthetic tape. Valley Economic Alliance is hosting two similar events later this summer. The organization’s annual “TechX” program, which features presentations and demonstrations from technology firms, will be held on June 7 at Los Angeles Pierce College. The alliance also is hosting a “cannabiz”-themed event around the same time; attendees will hear from businesses and service providers in the cannabis industry, according to alliance Chief Executive Kenn Phillips. West Hills’ Robot West Hills Hospital & Medical Center in West Hills has a shiny new robotic guidance system to help perform spinal surgeries – the first of its kind in Los Angeles County. The full-service acute care facility performed its first surgery with the machine, called the “Mazor X,” in early April. The robotic system’s value proposition is that it enables more precise, minimally invasive surgery than traditional spinal surgery techniques, a feat made possible through its 3D modeling and data analytics software that offer “visual information” about the patient prior to the operation. The system is made by Israeli robotics firm Mazor Robotics, which distributes the Mazor X through Medtronic Inc. Medtronic’s diabetes division is based in Northridge. Most surgeries involving the robotic system are covered by health insurance, according to the hospital. West Hills Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Amir Vokshoor completed the first operation with the new machine. “We are excited to be the first hospital in Los Angeles County to offer and utilize the new robotic guidance system,” Vokshoor said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to letting the community know that this new technology is available to them.” West Hills Hospital employs 900 staff members and 450 physicians. Staff reporter Helen Floersh can be reached at (818) 316-3121 or [email protected].
