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Prime Healthcare Receives Highest Ranking for Social Responsibility based on Equity, Value and Patient Outcomes
from Prime Healthcare Receives Highest Ranking for Social Responsibility based on Equity, Value and Patie
by erica mary
● Prime Healthcare is one of only five health systems in the nation to receive an overall 'A' rating ● Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark, NJ ranked number two in the nation ● The Lown Institute Hospitals Index is the first ranking system to define standards for hospital social responsibility by examining performance across health outcomes, value, and equity
(ONTARIO, CA) – Prime Healthcare, which operates 45 hospitals in 14 states, earned "A" grades in the Lown Institute Index for Social Responsibility, placing Prime among the top five
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healthcare systems in the nation in equity, value and outcomes. Additionally, several Prime hospitals ranked in the top two and a half percent of all hospitals included in this year's rankings.
"It's not enough for hospitals to say they're committed to social responsibility. They need to put
their commitment into action, " said Dr. Vikas Saini, President of the Lown Institute, a
nonpartisan think tank advocating for changes in the healthcare system. "Doing well on the
Lown Index is one way they can demonstrate progress.
The Lown Institute rankings, now in their second year, used 54 metrics tied to equity, including
racial inclusivity, pay equity, avoiding overuse, clinical outcomes and cost efficiency, which
evaluate how well hospitals achieve low mortality rates at a low cost with excellent outcomes.
Fewer than three percent of the hospitals studied nationwide received top honors.
Two Prime Healthcare hospitals – Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey and
East Liverpool City Hospital in East Liverpool, Ohio – ranked among the Top 10 hospitals
nationally in the Lown Social Responsibility Index.
Saint Michael's, which ranked second nationally on the list for Social Responsibility, was in
bankruptcy and in danger of closing in 2016 when Prime Healthcare purchased the hospital and
invested millions to upgrade medical equipment, including state-of-the-art tools for treating
cancer and cardiac diseases. Under Prime's ownership, the hospital also quickly moved to an
“A” in The Leapfrog Group patient safety grade and received a five-star patient safety rating
from Healthgrades.
Other Prime Healthcare hospitals falling in the top two and a half percent nationally according to
the Lown Index include not-for-profit hospitals in the Prime Healthcare Foundation:
● Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, Rhode Island ● Montclair Hospital Medical Center in Montclair, California ● Suburban Community Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania ● Southern Regional Medical Center in Riverdale, Georgia ● Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Pennsylvania
"It's vitally important that community hospitals promote health equity and embrace our role as
socially responsible organizations, " said Dr. Bhatia. "The COVID-19 pandemic has struck
minority and underserved communities disproportionately hard, making it even more essential
that our nation's hospitals address health inequities. Prime Healthcare, our staff, and physicians
are honored to be recognized as leaders in that effort.
In addition to the top social responsibility rankings, five Prime hospitals were ranked among the
20 most efficient in the nation by the Lown Institute. These include Saint Mary's Regional
Medical Center in Reno, Nevada; Encino Hospital Medical Center in Encino, California; and
Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, California. Saint Michael's and East Liverpool
also made the list of most cost-efficient.
Three Prime Healthcare hospitals were ranked the most socially responsible in their respective
states – North Vista Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada; Suburban Community Hospital in
Norristown, Pennsylvania; and Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Prime Healthcare was founded by Dr. Prem Reddy, a physician with a mission to save hospitals,
improve community healthcare and provide the very best care to patients.