COMPLICATIONS AT JOHN C LINCOLN MEDICAL CENTER

Acute Care Hospital in Phoenix, AZ 85020

Complications

JOHN C LINCOLN MEDICAL CENTER
250 East Dunlap Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85020
Phone: (602) 870-6010

The complication measures at John C Lincoln Medical Center provide information about the medical problems some inpatients might experience while admitted in the hospital. Admitted patients sometimes get other injuries, conditions or complications that may be life threatening. When hospitals follow best practices for treating patients, serious complications are often prevented.

The complication measures evaluate serious events such as healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and complications after certain surgical procedures.

Surgical Complications

The measures for surgical complications provide information about the problems developed by patients after having certain surgical procedures and how often those patients that were admitted with certain conditions died while they were in the hospital. These surgical complications can often be prevented if hospitals follow procedures based on best practices and scientific evidence.

Measure	Hospital Average	How this Hospital Compares
Complications for hip/knee replacement patients	3.3% Measure: Complications for hip/knee replacement patients Sample data was collected between 04/01/2011 and 03/31/2014	No different than the National Rate of 3.1% Percentage of complications for hip/knee replacement patients, some of the complications include: heart attack, infection, pneumonia, serious blood clots, wounds that split open or bleed after surgery, replacement hip/knee joints that don't work, etc. Higher rates of these serious complications might be a sign of lesser quality hospital care.
Serious complications	0.58% Measure: Serious complications Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 0.81% A higher percentage of serious but potentially preventable, complications might be a sign of lesser quality hospital care. Hospitals could reduce the chance of serious complications by following safe care practices
Deaths with Serious Complications after Surgery	89.03 per 1,000 patient discharges Measure: Deaths with Serious Complications after Surgery Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 117.75 per 1,000 Patient Discharges This measure covers surgical patients who died after developing serious complications that could have been treated. Although some deaths may be inevitable, hospitals with trained staff and properly organized identify life threatening complications quickly and treat them aggressively. Higher death rates might be a sign that patients were not watched properly after surgery or that an effective action wasn’t taken.
Collapsed lung due to medical treatment	0.51% Measure: Collapsed lung due to medical treatment Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 0.39% Cases of collapsed lung that results from medical treatment (Iatrogenic pneumothorax, adult).
Serious blood clots after surgery	3.37% Measure: Serious blood clots after surgery Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 4.35% This measure refers to blood clots, in the lung or a large vein, after surgery (perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate).
Wound that opens after surgery	1.87% Measure: Wound that opens after surgery Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 1.70% This measure refers to a wound that splits open on the abdomen or pelvis after surgery (postoperative wound dehiscence).
Accidental cuts from medical treatment	0.94% Measure: Accidental cuts from medical treatment Sample data was collected between 07/01/2012 and 06/30/2014	No different than the National Rate of 1.81% This measure refers to accidental cuts and tears from medical treatment (accidental puncture or laceration).

Healthcare Associated Infections

The healthcare-associated infections (HAI) measures provide information on infections that happen while the patient is in the hospital. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collects this information and encourages hospitals to use CDC-recommended infection control steps to prevent healthcare-associated infections.

Measure	Hospital Average	How this Hospital Compares
Bloodstream Infections	2.756 Measure: Bloodstream Infections Sample data was collected between 01/01/2015 and 03/31/2015	Worse than the National Benchmark of 1 Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in ICUs and select wards This measure compares the number of central line-associated bloodstream infections hospital to a national benchmark. A central line is a narrow tube inserted into a large vein of a patient’s neck or chest for important medical treatment. When the lines are not put in correctly or kept clean, germs could enter the body and cause serious blood infections. The CLABSI measure includes data from ICUs, NICUs, surgical and medical wards. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in CLABSIs is best.
Bloodstream Infections in ICU Only	1.174 Measure: Bloodstream Infections in ICU Only Sample data was collected between 04/01/2014 and 03/31/2015	No Different than National Benchmark of 1 Central line-associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) in ICUs only This measure compares the number of central line-associated bloodstream infections hospital to a national benchmark. A central line is a narrow tube inserted into a large vein of a patient’s neck or chest for important medical treatment. When the lines are not put in correctly or kept clean, germs could enter the body and cause serious blood infections. The CLABSI measure includes data from ICUs and NICUs. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in CLABSIs is best.
Catheter Urinary Tract Infections	1.779 Measure: Catheter Urinary Tract Infections Sample data was collected between 01/01/2015 and 03/31/2015	No Different than National Benchmark of 1 Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in ICUs and select wards This measure compares the number of catheter-associated urinary tract infections to a national benchmark. A catheter is a drainage tube inserted into a patient’s urinary bladder to collect urine while a patient is immobile or incontinent. When a catheter is not put in correctly or kept clean, or left in place for long periods of time, germs could enter the body and cause serious infections in the urinary tract. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in CAUTIs is best.
Catheter Urinary Tract Infections in ICU Only	1.732 Measure: Catheter Urinary Tract Infections in ICU Only Sample data was collected between 04/01/2014 and 03/31/2015	No Different than National Benchmark of 1 Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) in ICUs only This measure compares the number of catheter-associated urinary tract infections to a national benchmark. A catheter is a drainage tube inserted into a patient’s urinary bladder to collect urine while a patient is immobile or incontinent. When a catheter is not put in correctly or kept clean, or left in place for long periods of time, germs could enter the body and cause serious infections in the urinary tract. This measure includes data from ICU’s only. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in CAUTIs is best.
Infection from Colon Surgery	0.801 Measure: Infection from Colon Surgery Sample data was collected between 04/01/2014 and 03/31/2015	No Different than National Benchmark of 1 Surgical Site Infection from colon surgery (SSI: Colon) This measure compares the number surgical site infections from colon surgeries to a national benchmark. When surgical procedures are not conducted in a sterile environment and following sterile procedures, a surgical site could become a way for germs to enter the body and cause serious infections in a patient. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in SSIs is best.
MRSA Infections	1.319 Measure: MRSA Infections Sample data was collected between 04/01/2014 and 03/31/2015	No Different than National Benchmark of 1 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Blood Laboratory-identified Events (Bloodstream infections) This measure compares the number of MRSA-positive cases from blood samples four or more days after the patient entered the hospital to a national benchmark. The Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of bacteria resistant to certain type of antibiotics. MRSA infections could be caught at hospitals and may cause severe or life-threatening symptoms. MRSA can be prevented from being transmitted to patients by taking certain provisions: washing hands, using protective gloves and gowns, sterilizing equipment, covering the mouth, nose, and eyes and practicing responsible use of antibiotics. A lower number is better better. A score of ZERO in MRSA is best.
Intestinal infections	2.148 Measure: Intestinal infections Sample data was collected between 04/01/2014 and 03/31/2015	Worse than the National Benchmark of 1 Clostridium difficile (C.diff.) Laboratory-identified Events (Intestinal infections) This measure compares the number of positive cases for Clostridium difficile on stool specimens tested four or more days after the patient entered the hospital to a national benchmark. Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) is a bacteria that causes inflammation of the colon and can cause severe diarrhea, fever, appetite loss, nausea, and abdominal pain. C. diff. can be prevented from being transmitted to patients by taking certain precautions: washing hands, using protective gloves and gowns, sterilizing equipment, covering the mouth, nose, and eyes and practicing responsible use of antibiotics. A lower number is better better. A score of zero is best.