Business

Consumer Reports ranks Pardee surgeries No. 1 in N.C.

By Bill Moss, Published: August 17, 2013

Pardee Hospital was one of only two hospitals in North Carolina to receive the highest rating based on a review by Consumer Reports magazine of 27 types of surgeries, the hospital's medical chief of staff told the Board of Directors.

Dr. Robert Kiskaddon showed a reproduction of the consumer watchdog magazine's report showing only Pardee and North Carolina Specialty Hospital in Durham with the highest ratings. Five hospitals scored above average, 52 scored average, seven were rated below average and 10 were given the worst rating.

 In the Patient Experience category, Pardee also received the highest rating in doctor-patient communication and nurse-patient communication.
The magazine completed the study with help from a health care consulting firm that analyzes medical claims and clinical records of Medicare-covered surgeries. Among the hospitals scoring average were Mission Hospital in Asheville, Park Ridge in Fletcher and UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, Pardee's management partner.
Pardee received a rating of outstanding for knee replacements, hip replacements and carotid artery surgery.
Pardee CEO Jay Kirby said the hospital had received positive ratings from other services. "But considering that Consumer Reports is a household name, for them to take these ratings and package them and make them available is good news and rest assured we're going to get it out," he told the board.