For the first time ever, Atrium Medical Center’s rehabilitation services ranked among the nation’s Top 50, under the annual report by U.S. News & World Report. The publication rated Atrium No. 43.
The designation was among acute rehab facilities — the places patients go after they leave a hospital and before they get back home after suffering strokes, heart attacks, fractures, even COVID-19 last year. While undergoing rehab, patients work with physical and occupational therapists, as well as others who work with them to improve their speech. Atrium also provides recreational therapists and neuropsychologists.
“They based it on our performance,” said Ingrid Waggoner, Atrium Medical Center’s director of rehabilitation services. “So we had to send outcomes data” and the magazine examined such factors as how patients did after leaving.
“They add the numbers together, and we ended up 43rd out of 4,523 hospitals,” Waggoner said. “In Ohio, I think there were only two that were in the Top 50.”
“It’s really a team effort,” Waggoner said about her hospital’s success. “Our patients are here an average of about 10 days, I would say, and we’re doing intense therapy with an interdisciplinary team that are committed to helping patients develop their skills and function at the highest level possible when they return home.”
Other area hospitals that received designations:
- Kettering Health Hamilton, formerly Fort Hamilton Hospital, received a High Performing rating for kidney failure was earned by providing care that was significantly better than the national average,
- Atrium received High Performing designations in three other areas of care: heart failure; heart attack; and kidney failure.
- Mercy Health-Fairfield Hospital was High Performing for heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center was No. 4 nationally among children’s hospitals, and No. 3 nationwide for pediatric cancer care. It also was nationally ranked in 10 specialties.
- The Cleveland Clinic was rated No. 1 hospital in Ohio and No. 2 nationally), with Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center No. 2 in the state. Christ Hospital was No. 4, with Miami Valley Hospital No. 8. Kettering Medical Center was No. 11.
- Numerous Cincinnati-area, Dayton-area and Northern Kentucky hospitals were high-performing in a number of areas.