Union Hospital

Heart Attack

What is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack (also called AMI or acute myocardial infarction) happens when the arteries leading to the heart become blocked and the blood supply is slowed or stopped. When the heart muscle can’t get the oxygen it needs, the part of the heart tissue that is affected may die.

The symptoms of a heart attack can include:

• Chest pain (often described as a crushing, squeezing or burning pain in the center of the chest and may radiate to your arm or jaw)
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or faintness
• Sweating
• Nausea
• Cold or clammy skin
• A gray or very ill appearance

Sometimes there may be no symptoms, especially if you have diabetes. Women sometimes have different symptoms, such as a different kind of chest pain and/or abdominal pain.

For more information about heart health go to:

• American Heart Association
• National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

Heart Attack Patient Mortality (Death)

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of heart attack patients that died within 30 days of going into the hospital.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the death (mortality) rate for heart attack patients treated at that hospital is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The death rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with heart attack patient deaths?

• The number of Union Hospital cases is too small to compare against the national average.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Heart Attack Patient Hospital Readmission

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of hospitalized heart attack patients who go back into a hospital again within 30 days after going home. Patients may have been readmitted back to the same hospital or to a different hospital. They may have been readmitted for heart attack-related care or for a different reason.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the readmission rate for heart attack patients is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The readmission rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with heart attack patient hospital readmission?

• The number of Union Hospital cases is too small to compare against the national average.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.

Keep in mind that you should not choose a hospital based solely on reported data.

• How Do You Judge Quality?

Related Content:

• Patient Experience Measurement.

Updated: July 2024

Heart Failure

What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure is a weakening of the heart's pumping power. With heart failure, your body doesn't get enough oxygen and nutrients to meet its needs. Your heart tries to pump more blood, but the muscle walls become weaker over time. These measures show some of the standards of care provided for most adults with heart failure.

Symptoms of heart failure may include:

• Shortness of breath from fluid in the lungs
• Swelling (such as in legs, ankles or abdomen)
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Cold or clammy skin
• A rapid or irregular heartbeat

Heart failure can be a result of heart condition due to:

• Hardening of the arteries, also known as coronary artery disease a heart attack
• Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle damage from infection or alcohol or drug abuse)
• An overworked heart (caused over time by conditions like high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, or a defect from birth)

For more information about heart health go to:

• American Heart Association
• National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

Heart Failure Patient Mortality (Death)

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of heart failure patients that died within 30 days of going into the hospital.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the death (mortality) rate for heart failure patients treated at that hospital is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The death rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with heart failure patient deaths?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Heart Failure Patient Hospital Readmission

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of hospitalized heart failure patients who go back into a hospital again within 30 days after going home. Patients may have been readmitted back to the same hospital or to a different hospital. They may have been readmitted for heart failure-related care or for a different reason.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the readmission rate for heart failure patients is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The readmission rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with heart failure patient hospital readmission?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Updated: July 2024

Stroke

What is a Stroke?

A stroke, or “brain attack,” occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked or bursts. The brain cannot store oxygen, so it relies on a network of blood vessels to provide it with blood that is rich in oxygen. A stroke results in a lack of blood supply, causing nerve cells in that area of the brain to be cut off from oxygen. When tissue is cut off from its supply of oxygen for more than three to four minutes, the brain tissue begins to die.

There are three kinds of stroke: hemorrhagic strokes, ischemic strokes, and transient ischemic attacks.

• Hemorrhagic stroke — This type of stroke takes place when a weakened blood vessel in the brain breaks. Bleeding, or hemorrhage from the blood vessel, occurs suddenly. The force of blood that escapes from the blood vessel can also damage brain tissue in that area. Hemorrhagic stroke is the most serious kind of stroke.
• Ischemic stroke — This type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain develops a clot and cuts off the blood supply to the brain. A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel in the brain is called a "thrombus." A blood clot that forms in another part of the body, such as the neck or lining of the heart, and travels to the brain is called an "embolus." Blood clots often result from a condition called "atherosclerosis," the build-up of fatty deposits within blood vessel walls.
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA) — A TIA should be treated as seriously as a stroke. A TIA occurs when blood flow to a certain part of the brain is cut off for a short period of time, usually 15 minutes or less. Although TIA is painless, it is an important warning sign that a stroke may follow.

The symptoms of a stroke can include:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, mainly on one side of the body
• Sudden difficulty understanding or speaking – you may have slurred speech or confused speech
• Sudden difficulty seeing in one eye or both eyes
• Sudden loss of balance, coordination or the ability to walk
• Sudden, severe headache

For more information about brain health, go to:

• American Stroke Association
• National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
• View other publicly reported data about stroke care in hospital

Stroke Patient Mortality (Death)

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of stroke patients that died within 30 days of going into the hospital.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the death (mortality) rate for stroke patients treated at the hospital is better than, the same as, or worse than the U.S. national average. The death rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with stroke patient deaths?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Updated: July 2024

Pneumonia

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It is caused by bacteria or a virus. The lungs fill with mucus. This lowers the oxygen level in your blood. Symptoms of pneumonia can include the following:

• Difficulty breathing
• "Wet" cough – mucus may look green or bloody
• Chest pain
• Fever and chills
• Fatigue

You should also be aware that flu shots reduce the risk of influenza, a serious and sometimes deadly lung infection that can spread quickly in a community. Hospitals should check to make sure that pneumonia patients get a flu shot during flu season to protect them from another lung infection and to help prevent the spread of influenza in the community.

For more information about lung health go to:

• American Lung Association
• National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health Web

Pneumonia Patient Mortality (Death)

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of pneumonia patients that died within 30 days of going into the hospital.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the death (mortality) rate for pneumonia patients treated at that hospital is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The death rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with pneumonia patient deaths?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Pneumonia Patient Hospital Readmission

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of hospitalized pneumonia patients who go back into a hospital again within 30 days after going home. Patients may have been readmitted back to the same hospital or to a different hospital. They may have been readmitted for pneumonia-related care or for a different reason.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the readmission rate for pneumonia patients is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The readmission rates take into account how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with pneumonia patient hospital readmission?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant. 
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

What are we doing to improve? Union Hospital is:

• Checking each patient’s risk for readmission
• Using a consistent process for discharging patients that includes making sure patients understand their medications and other instructions
• Arranging prompt follow-up care

Updated: July 2024

Patient Safety

These scores tell you about how often patients had certain serious, but potentially preventable complications (listed below) related to medical or surgical inpatient hospital care.

Where does the score come from? The information comes from documenting certain events in patient medical records. These events are then “coded” by the hospital for billing Medicare. Coded information is sometimes called “administrative” data.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to look at how often patients experienced certain complications that might have been preventable.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Cleveland Clinic doing with preventing certain serious complications?

• Includes only people with “regular” Medicare. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• * The difference between Cleveland Clinic and the national average is not significant.
• N/A = Data not available for this reporting period. 
• Learn More.

What is Cleveland Clinic doing to improve?

Cleveland Clinic has many initiatives underway to keep patients safe. Standard “best” practices are the key to success. Examples:

• To prevent collapsed lungs due to medical treatment, Cleveland Clinic implemented a standard procedure for placing and checking central lines (small tubes inserted and passed into a large vein or the heart).
• To prevent blood clots in the lung or large vein after surgery, Cleveland Clinic implemented a standard approach that includes checking each hospitalized patient’s risk for blood clots and providing medications or other treatment as indicated.

Updated: July 2024

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of diseases that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. 

Symptoms include:

• Cough with mucus that persists for long periods of time.
• Difficulty taking a deep breath.
• Shortness of breath with mild exercise (like walking or using the stairs).
• Shortness of breath performing regular daily activities.
• Wheezing

For more information, please visit our health library article on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patient Mortality (Death)

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of COPD patients that died within 30 days of going into the hospital.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the death (mortality) rate for COPD patients treated at that hospital is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The death rates consider how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patient deaths?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.
• Learn More.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patient Hospital Readmission

This score tells you about the percent (rate) of hospitalized COPD patients who go back into a hospital again within 30 days after going home. Patients may have been readmitted back to the same hospital or to a different hospital. They may have been readmitted for COPD related care or for a different reason.

This information is important because one way to tell if a hospital is doing a good job is to see if the readmission rate for COPD patients is better than, the same as or worse than the U.S. national average. The readmission rates consider how sick patients were before they were admitted to the hospital.

Lower numbers are better.

How is Union Hospital doing with COPD patient hospital readmission?

• The difference between Union Hospital and the national average is not significant.
• Only regular Medicare patients are included. People in Medicare Advantage (managed care plans) and people who do not have Medicare are not included.

Keep in mind that you should not choose a hospital based solely on reported data.

• How Do You Judge Quality?

Related Content:

• Patient Experience Measurement.

Updated: July 2024