Joint Commission releases list of top performing hospitals.

Kaiser Health News (9/20, Rau) reports, "The Joint Commission [JC], the nation's major hospital accreditation board," has released "its annual list of hospitals that have excelled at adhering to basic procedures for treating common illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes." The JC "is recognizing 620 hospitals...as 'top performers' for following recommended protocols at least 95 percent of the time." This represents "an increase over last year, when, in its first effort to publicly single out hospitals based on performance, the commission praised 405 institutions."

        Modern Healthcare (9/20, McKinney, Subscription Publication) reports that about "18% of the 3,300 hospitals that submit data to the Joint Commission achieved the top-performer designation for performance in 2011, the Joint Commission said in the report." Altogether, "244 hospitals made the list both last year and this year."

        The San Jose Mercury News (9/20) reports, "Several Bay Area hospitals were named top performers Wednesday by the" JC.

        The Modesto (CA) Bee (9/20, Glover) reports, "Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento was...on the list two years in a row."

        The Charlotte (NC) Observer (9/20, Garloch) reports, "Ten Charlotte-area hospitals have been cited as 'top performers on key quality measures' by the Joint Commission."

        The South Florida Sun-Sentinel (9/20, Brochu) reports, "Eighteen South Florida hospitals were recognized among the best by the" JC.

        The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (9/20, Corwin) reports, "For the second year in a row, Doctors Hospital was recognized for high compliance with quality measures by its accrediting agency, and it will be joined on this year's list by Trinity Hospital of Augusta."

        The Boston Globe (9/20, Conaboy) "White Coat Notes" blog reports that the list "contains none of Boston's major teaching hospitals," which "makes it distinct from many other national hospital surveys, some of which account for hospital reputation."

        The Fort Wayne (IN) News-Sentinel (9/20) reports, "Lutheran Health Network announced Wednesday that four of their hospitals have been named among the nation's top performers on key quality measures by The Joint Commission."

        Also covering the story are the Victoria (TX) Advocate (9/20), the Winston-Salem (NC) Journal (9/20, Craver), the Kansas City (MO) Business Journal (9/20, Twiddy, Subscription Publication), the Florida Times-Union (9/20, Patton), the Pittsburgh Business Times(9/20, Mamula, Subscription Publication), the Nashville (TN) Business Journal (9/20, Johnson, Subscription Publication), theAllentown (PA) Morning Call (9/20, Darragh), the Franklin County (AL) Times (9/20, Singleton), the Columbus (GA) Ledger-Enquirer(9/20, Adams), the Birmingham (AL) Business Journal (9/20, Belanger, Subscription Publication), and the Nevada (MO) Daily Mail(9/20).