NBRHC Province Leader in HSMR Rates

Data released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) this week shows the North Bay Regional Health Centre’s (NBRHC) hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) rate is currently the lowest in the province. NBRHC’s average is 67; in contrast, the Canadian and Ontario averages are 96 and 95 respectively. HSMR is the calculation of actual deaths over expected deaths multiplied by 100.

NBRHC Chief of Staff Dr. Donald Fung explains HSMR is an important measure to improve patient safety and quality of care in Canadian hospitals. “Quality improvement is an integral part of what we do every day. Morbidity and mortality patterns are changing.  Over the past year, NBRHC implemented a range of initiatives to reduce mortality and improve patient care,” Dr. Fung says.

NBRHC President and CEO Paul Heinrich says the Health Centre’s quality improvement efforts have helped to significantly reduce the hospital mortality rate, positioning us as the provincial leader with the lowest number in Ontario. “Quality improvement is owned by everyone in our organization—from the medical leadership to the front line staff,” Heinrich says.

Heinrich explains there are a number of factors contributing to the reduction of HSMR rates, one of which is the hospital’s Critical Care Model. “We have internist oversight and continuity of care for our sickest patients,” he says. “We’ve also been very successful in recruiting the right types of specialists.”

Chair of the NBRHC Quality Committee Lauri Petz, who is also a volunteer Board Member with NBRHC, says they are very pleased with the HSMR rates. “While we are very proud of our rate, we never want to lose sight of the importance of quality improvement and the tracking and monitoring of patient safety,” Petz says.

The CIHI Data showed NBRHC’s rates for total time spent in Emergency Department for admitted patients (hours) at 11.7 is well below the Canadian and provincial averages (Canada average: 30.5; Ontario average: 29.9).

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Contact:
Lindsay Smylie Smith
NBRHC Communications Specialist
lindsay.smyliesmith@nbrhc.on.ca
705-495-7592