U.S. News again names Tulane Medical Center a high-performing hospital

Tulane Medical Center has again been recognized as a High-Performing Hospital by _U.S. News & World Report_ for its treatment of two of the region's most serious health concerns - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure.

This designation is part of the publication's annual Best Hospitals rankings, which evaluates nearly 6,000 hospitals nationwide. The Best Hospitals methodologies include objective measures such as patient survival, the number of times a given procedure is performed, infection rates, adequacy of nursing staff and more.

"Now more than ever, our community needs to know their hospital and physicians are providing quality care in a safe environment," said Dr. Robert Lynch, Tulane Health System CEO. "We are grateful for this recognition of all our team's hard work to keep our patients - and our region - safe and healthy."

The annual ratings are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for common conditions and elective procedures. Fewer than a third of all hospitals received any high-performing rating.

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is weakened and cannot pump enough blood to adequately meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen. About 5.7 million adults in the United States have heart failure, and the condition is a contributing cause in one in nine deaths.

Tulane Health System offers a comprehensive heart failure management program that includes diagnosis, medication, treatment and communication initiatives, with the overall goal of improving patients' quality of life while minimizing the need for hospitalization.

COPD includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other diseases that cause breathing problems. Nearly 16 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD. Tulane Health System, with generous support from the Dorney-Koppel Foundation, has developed the Grace Anne Dorney Pulmonary Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, a dedicated, multidisciplinary unit focused on providing treatment for conditions like COPD.

Tulane Medical Center was also recently recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association with its Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award, which Tulane has earned for five consecutive years, recognizes the hospital's commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.