FOR RELEASE:
July 27, 2010

Study Rates Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Maternity Care 5 Stars
Top Rating Based on Maternal Complication Rates and Neonatal Mortality Rates

HICKORY, NC – Maternity care at Catawba Valley Medical Center received a 5-star rating from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent healthcare ratings organization, based on its low complication rates for vaginal and C-section deliveries and its low rates of neonatal mortality. The HealthGrades study of maternity care, released in June, examined all 1,546 hospitals that provide maternity care in the 19 states that collect and publish outcomes data. Five-star hospitals represent the top 15% of all hospitals within the 19 states studied.

CVMC is the only hospital in the Hickory region to receive this designation.

“This recognition from HealthGrades is a result of Catawba Valley Medical Center’s continuing commitment to improved maternity outcomes for our community,” said J. Anthony Rose, President & CEO, Catawba Valley Medical Center. “We commend our dedicated Magnet nurses, physicians and providers for their direct role in helping us achieve HealthGrades’ highest rating for maternity care.”

The study rated each hospital with 1, 3 or 5 stars for its maternity care based on maternal complication rates and neonatal mortality rates. As a group, 5-star-rated hospitals had 51% fewer maternal complications for vaginal deliveries and 74% fewer maternal complications for C-sections when compared with hospital rated with 1 star.

The HealthGrades study found that if all of the 1,546 hospitals performed at the level of five star-rated hospitals, 176,654 women might have avoided developing one or more in-hospital major obstetric complications during the three-year period studied, 2006 to 2008.

Several factors contribute to Catawba Valley Medical Center’s efforts to achieve excellence in maternity care. For example, the CVMC Birthing Center is committed to ensuring that routine C-sections are not scheduled before 39 weeks completed gestation to assure that intentionally-delivered babies are ready for birth and breathing on their own. It employs specialized neonatal nurse practitioners who attend deliveries in which the baby needs special care or stabilization at birth. Skilled physicians and certified nurse midwives provide care and perform deliveries at all hours, and highly trained charge nurses are available for additional support in high-risk situations.

“Hospitals rated with 5 stars for their maternity care are – by the numbers – bringing outstanding care to mothers-to-be and their babies,” said Rick May, MD, a vice president with HealthGrades and co-author of the study. “Members of the community should feel quite proud to have in their midst a hospital that performs at a high level over time in such an important area of care.”

Hospitals were evaluated in the HealthGrades study using the following criteria:
• Maternal complication rate among women undergoing single live-born vaginal or C-section deliveries;
• Maternal complication rate among women undergoing “patient-choice” or non-clinically indicated C-sections;
• Newborn volume adjusted for low birth weight; and
• Newborn mortality rate stratified into eight birth weight categories.

The HealthGrades Maternity Care study and its methodology can be found at www.healthgrades.com.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. Located in Hickory, N.C., CVMC has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a third consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleymedical.org.

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FOR RELEASE:
July 7, 2010

Catawba Valley Medical Center Recognizes July CARE Employee

HICKORY, NC – Catawba Valley Medical Center recently recognized Barbara McCurry, Environmental Services Technician in the Environmental Services Department, as the July CARE employee.
Following are remarks offered in nominating Barbara: “Barbara is one of the hardest working people at this hospital. She is always doing something and always does it with a smile… Not only is Barbara a very hard worker, she has such a wonderful attitude and is so pleasant to be around. She is always willing to do whatever she can to help... I hope you will consider Barbara as a CARE Employee – because care is what she does best!”

Catawba Valley Medical Center’s CARE employee, nominated monthly by employees and guests, embodies Courtesy, Attitude, Respect and Enthusiasm for commitment to maintaining a positive guest relations atmosphere while demonstrating a sincere compassion and concern for patients and fellow staff members.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. Located in Hickory, N.C., CVMC has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a third consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleymedical.org.

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FOR RELEASE:
June 17, 2010

Catawba Valley Medical Center Recognizes June CARE Employee

HICKORY, NC – Catawba Valley Medical Center recently recognized Diana Wood, Telecommunicator in the Communications Department, as the June CARE employee.

Following are remarks offered in nominating Diana: “Diana’s overall attitude and concern for others is truly seen in how she handles day to day calls. She is one of the voices that many people hear but never see. When a crisis arises she takes control of the situation and herself. Every call that she receives is important to her. It has been this type of attitude that has assured each caller a prompt and courteous initial perception of Catawba Valley Medical Center.”

Catawba Valley Medical Center’s CARE employee, nominated monthly by employees and guests, embodies Courtesy, Attitude, Respect and Enthusiasm for commitment to maintaining a positive guest relations atmosphere while demonstrating a sincere compassion and concern for patients and fellow staff members.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. Located in Hickory, N.C., CVMC has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a third consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleymedical.org.

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FOR RELEASE:
June 1, 2010

Edwards and Loder First at CVMC to Receive Doctor of Nursing Degree (DNP)

HICKORY, NC – Jane Edwards and Lesley Loder recently became the first nurses at Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) to receive nursing’s advanced Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, or DNP. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the DNP degree enables the pursuit of “enhanced knowledge to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes.”

The DNP degree differs from nursing’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS) degrees because it focuses on practice-oriented, clinical specialty areas rather than on research.

The AACN has required that all master’s degree nurse practitioner programs transition to DNP programs by 2015. (Nurses who have earned MSN degrees prior to the transition will not need to obtain a DNP.) In true CVMC form, Edwards and Loder are already ahead of the curve. Eddie Beard, CVMC’s Senior Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer, is beginning his DNP studies this month.

“Magnet designation recognizes advanced education and training as a key indicator of a medical center’s excellence in nursing,” said Beard. “Both Jane and Lesley have demonstrated this commitment at CVMC by taking their clinical training to the highest possible level. We commend them for their exceptional achievements, and we are proud to have them on our team.”

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. Located in Hickory, N.C., CVMC
has received three Magnet designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center and has been recognized for providing “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience” for a third consecutive year by J.D. Power and Associates. For more information, please visit www.catawbavalleymedical.org.

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