OHOW is Top-Rated for Medicare (CMS) Value-Based Purchasing

It’s no secret that our uncommon focus on patient care sets the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin apart as an industry leader.

From the moment you walk through our doors, you’ll notice our warm, attentive, and caring staff. With low nurse-to-patient ratios, excellent leadership, and a focus on patient service, OHOW creates a calming, welcoming experience for every patient we see.

With leading orthopedic surgeons and specialists, a legacy of excellent care, and a team of highly skilled physical therapists, OHOW is ready to serve you. This outstanding care is why we’ve received many industry awards and recognitions, including being a top-rated Medicare (CMS) Value-Based Purchasing hospital for multiple years.

Our Medicare (CMS) Value-Based Purchasing Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program as a unique initiative to enforce a high quality of care. The program awards leading hospitals with recognition and payment incentives, based on the quality of care offered to CMS patients.

CMS bases the awarded ratings on several performance criteria, including following best hospital practices (high quality), safety, cost savings and positive patient outcomes. The clinical process is factored into the score along with safety protocols, administrative efficiency, patient care experience and community engagement. There are over 3000 hospitals rated through the VBP program. To qualify hospitals can’t receive penalties for hospital-acquired conditions (resulting from medical errors).

The VBP program was created by CMS to improve patient care, hospital quality, and the hospital payment system. The grading scale is based on performance compared to peer hospitals, performance improvement as compared to previous period performances, and reporting through QualityNet (the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality reporting program for CMS providers).

OHOW’s Performance in CMS Value-Based Purchasing Program

The Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin has performed very well in the CMS Value-Based Purchasing program every year we’ve been qualified to participate. In our most recent participation in the program during the 2017 fiscal year, we were ranked #1—first in the nation!

As CEO Brian Cramer said in an interview for Ascension Health Care, “Quality, Patient Satisfaction, and Staff Satisfaction are our three critical success factors. This is an amazing accomplishment that is only possible because of our patients, staff, and physicians; we are truly honored to be number one.”

In previous years, OHOW performed commendably as well. In 2016, OHOW was ranked #2 in the nation and in 2015, we were ranked #10 in the nation. We were ranked #1 in Wisconsin in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Our outstanding performance is one reason why we have an excellent community reputation for care with schools, sports leagues, and the general public.

An Uncommon Focus on Patients

We’re dedicated to safety and to ensuring the best experience possible for our patients. Our process includes maintaining a low nurse-to-patient ratio, ensuring our nurses oversee only 3-4 patients when working on the inpatient unit. This ratio is far below the national average and helps us promote patient safety and offer an uncommon focus on our patients.

We also take infection prevention seriously and implement safety protocols that go above and beyond to help our patients recover quickly and safely. Sterilization, cleaning, hand washing, and personal protective equipment are vital. We monitor and educate our staff regularly on these critical requirements.

At OHOW, we also focus on the patient’s experience. When patients enter our hospital, they are welcomed and guided by caring, professional staff. Our physicians spend time with patients to answer all questions and address concerns. We provide patients with detailed care instructions when they transition home after any procedure. We know this unparalleled approach to patient care works because we review every patient satisfaction survey to ensure our patient concerns are heard and addressed.

We call our unique approach to care the OHOW difference. As a physician-owned organization, we understand patients have a choice in their care provider. For the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin, our biggest reward is having patients choose us when they need orthopedic care.