Cesarean Rates for Washington State Hospitals - 2006
Charts below:
Rankings: Seattle
area hospitals 2006, ranked from lowest to highest cesarean rate
Trends over time:
Seattle area hospitals, 2003 – 2006
Alphabetical: All
Washington state hospitals, 2006
Rankings: Seattle area hospitals, ranked from lowest to
highest cesarean rate
|
total
births |
total
c-s |
c-s
rate |
rank |
|
|
Group Health Central Hospital |
1,400 |
327 |
23% |
1 |
|
Stevens Healthcare |
1,199 |
327 |
27% |
2 |
|
Northwest Hospital |
994 |
299 |
30% |
3 |
|
Providence Everett Medical Center |
3,683 |
1091 |
30% |
4 |
|
Auburn Regional Medical Center |
943 |
293 |
31% |
5 |
|
Swedish Medical Center |
7,472 |
2309 |
31% |
6 |
|
Highline Community Hospital |
1,235 |
397 |
32% |
7 |
|
Tacoma General Hospital |
3,110 |
1001 |
32% |
8 |
|
Overlake Hospital Medical Center |
4,032 |
1331 |
33% |
9 |
|
Valley Medical Center |
3,386 |
1144 |
34% |
10 |
|
Evergreen Hospital Medical Center |
4,574 |
1621 |
35% |
11 |
|
University Of Washington Med Ctr |
2,040 |
741 |
36% |
12 |
Data
source: Washington State Department of Health, Comprehensive Hospital Abstract
Reporting System
http://www.doh.wa.gov/EHSPHL/hospdata/CHARS/2006/2006FullHospitalCensusandChargesbyDRG.xls
Methodology: For total births,
tallied DRG categories: 370 – cesarean with complications, 371 – cesarean rate
without, 372 – vaginal delivery with complicating conditions, 373 – vaginal
delivery without cc, 374 – vaginal delivery with sterilization, 375 – vaginal
delivery with OR procedures. The CS total was category 370 + 371. Rate was
calculated as CS Total / Total Births. Rank is a comparison between the hospitals
on this list, with 1 being lowest cesarean rate, and 12 being highest. Calculations done by Janelle Durham.
Trends over time: Seattle area hospitals, 2003 – 2006,
alphabetical
|
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
Auburn |
982 / 29.94% |
1000 / 32% |
996 / 34.4% |
943 / 31% |
|
Evergreen |
3983 / 29.68% |
4303 / 33.7% |
4336 / 34.9% |
4574 / 35% |
|
Group Health |
1311 / 16.55% |
1206 / 19.57% |
1284 / 19.5% |
1400 / 23% |
|
Highline |
1316 / 24.09% |
1339 / 28.16% |
1291 / 27.8% |
1235 / 32% |
|
Northwest |
992 / 27.82% |
980 / 32.14% |
999 / 30.9% |
994 / 30% |
|
Overlake |
3813 / 29.03% |
3736 / 30.19% |
3780 / 30.7% |
4032 / 33% |
|
Stevens |
1219 / 24.12% |
1138 / 24.96% |
1228 / 27% |
1199 / 27% |
|
Swedish |
|
7025 / 28.44% |
7201 / 30.22% |
7472 / 31% |
|
UWMC |
1843 / 35.81% |
1986 / 37.56% |
2049 / 36.4% |
2040 / 36% |
|
Valley |
2456 / 27.12% |
2742 / 30.56% |
2697 / 29.6% |
3386 / 34% |
Data from CHARS. 2003 and 2004
calculations from http://www.seattlebirthnet.com/stats.html
2005 and 2006 calculations by Janelle
Durham
What is the recommended rate for
cesareans?
CIMS,
WHO, and “Healthy People 2010” recommendations are for an overall cesarean rate
around 15%. WHO’s research clearly showed that if a
developing country does not have sufficient medical resources, and their
cesarean rate is below 10%, maternal mortality and infant mortality go up. But,
it also showed that if a country’s rate is too high (over 15%), maternal and
infant mortality go up.
For
the best overview of all the issues surrounding cesarean, see ChildbirthConnection.org
Why do rates range so much from birth
place to birth place?
Different populations: Rural hospitals often only accept low-risk clients
who are not expected to need substantial interventions, and refer clients who
are known to be higher risk to larger, regional hospitals or research/teaching
hospitals which have the facilities to deal with potential complications.
Therefore, it is natural for these regional hospitals and teaching hospitals to
have higher rates of interventions because they serve a higher-risk population.
Different caregiver
philosophies/training: Midwives
are typically trained to minimize interventions, and typically have lower rates
than obstetricians, who are trained surgeons. Thus, birthplaces which use
midwives and family practice doctors may have lower rates than hospitals where
only physicians practice.
Prevalence of other interventions: Hospital protocols also vary, with some birthplace
philosophies leading to lower cesarean rates. Other medical interventions in
the labor and birth process may increase the prevalence of cesarean, so if
interventions are common at a birthplace, then the cesarean rate may be
higher. For example, induction of labor
increases the relative risk of cesarean, so a hospital with a high induction
rate would be likely to have a high cesarean rate.
These statistics tell the average for
a birth place. How would I find out what my doctor or midwife’s rates are?
All the statistics given here are
averages amongst all the care providers practicing at a birthplace. If you look
at any particular care provider or group of providers, their practices may
differ significantly from this average.
The best way to find out about the
practices of a specific caregiver is to ask him or her directly. Rather than
just asking for his/her rate, ask the caregiver to explain his/her rationale.
Ask questions like: what could I do to minimize the chance of needing a
cesarean? What do you as the caregiver do to minimize my need for cesarean? How
would you decide when it was necessary to perform surgery?
Alphabetical: All Washington state hospitals, 2006
|
total births |
total c-s |
c-s rate |
|
|
Auburn Regional Medical Center |
943 |
293 |
31% |
|
Capital Medical Center |
791 |
246 |
31% |
|
Cascade Valley Hospital |
317 |
103 |
32% |
|
Central Washington Hospital |
1,350 |
395 |
29% |
|
Coulee Community Hospital |
89 |
28 |
31% |
|
Deaconess Medical Center |
2,089 |
676 |
32% |
|
Enumclaw Community Hospital |
211 |
53 |
25% |
|
Evergreen Hospital Medical Center |
4,574 |
1621 |
35% |
|
Forks Community Hospital |
101 |
15 |
15% |
|
Good Samaritan Hospital |
1,946 |
577 |
30% |
|
Grays Harbor Community Hospital |
565 |
202 |
36% |
|
Group Health Central Hospital |
1,400 |
327 |
23% |
|
Harrison Memorial Hospital |
2,049 |
555 |
27% |
|
Highline Community Hospital |
1,235 |
397 |
32% |
|
Holy Family Hospital |
1,130 |