A national healthcare rating service has named Northern Hospital of Surry County among the nation’s top 100 hospitals for critical.

Denver-based Healthgrades Inc., in its annual report American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation gave the local hospital a top-100 ranking for the second consecutive year.

The annual report measures performance of about 4,500 hospitals nationwide in nearly 30 procedures and conditions.

A five-star quality measurement indicates that Northern Hospital of Surry County’s clinical performance is better than expected, according to information released by Northern Hospital.

Healthgrades bases its hospital quality measures on clinical performance and updates them annually, free to the public. The most recent performance outcomes are now available at www.healthgrades.com.

“At Northern Hospital of Surry County, we have a skillful and dedicated team of clinicians and employees,” said Bill James, chief executive officer. “It is because of their hard work that our patients and their families receive quality healthcare that is among the best in the nation. Being named a top hospital in one of the largest healthcare studies in America validates everyone at Northern Hospital’s commitment to delivering high clinical quality to the communities we serve,” said James.

For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated 40 million Medicare hospitalization records for services performed from 2009 through 2011 at 4,500 short-term, acute care hospitals nationwide.

Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals receiving 5 stars had, on average, a 75 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals receiving a 1-star across 18 common procedures and diagnoses, such as heart bypass surgery, stroke and pneumonia.

“We have made a significant investment in the recruitment, retention and support of the many clinicians we are proud and fortunate to have, so the excellent patient outcomes results that have been realized from their efforts is now the best return on investment we could ever hope for,” said James.

Healthgrades independently measures hospitals based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being measured, and no hospital pays to be measured. Healthgrades risk adjusts for patient demographic characteristics and clinical risk factors, thereby taking into account how sick patients are upon hospital admission.

Northern Hospital of Surry County is also a recipient of the following Healthgrades accolades: America’s Best 100 Hospitals; one of HealthGrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for general surgery in 2013; five-star recipient for treatment of heart attack in 2013; a five-star recipient for treatment of heart failure for eight years in a row (2006-2013); recipient of the HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award for eight years in a row (2006-2013); ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for overall pulmonary services for eight years in a row (2006-2013); ranked No. 10 in North Carolina for overall pulmonary services in 2013; ranked among the top 10 in North Carolina for overall pulmonary services for nine years in a row (2005-2013).

Additional recognitions include being a five-star recipient for overall pulmonary services for eight years in a row (2006-2013); five-star recipient for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for eight consecutive years (2006-2013); a five-star recipient for treatment of pneumonia for seven years in a row (2007-2013); recipient of the HealthGrades Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award in 2013 and the HealthGrades General Surgery Excellence Award in 2013; ranked among the top 5 percent in the nation for general surgery in 2013; among the top 10 percent in the nation for overall GI services in 2013; and Ranked No. 5 in North Carolina for GI services in 2013, No. 2 in general Surgery in 2013, in the top 5 in for GI Services in 2013, and among the top 10 in general surgery for two years in a row.

The hospital also was a five-star recipient for treatment of bowel obstruction and cholecystectomy; a recipient of the HealthGrades Critical Care Excellence Award for five years in a row; ranked among the top five percent in the nation for critical care for three consecutive years; ranked No. 1 in the state for critical care in 2013; among the top five in the state for critical care for five years in a row; five-star recipient for overall critical care for three straight years; five-star recipient for treatment of sepsis for five years in a row; five-star recipient for treatment of pulmonary embolism in 2013; and five-star recipient for treatment of respiratory failure for seven consecutive years.

For more information on the American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, including the complete methodology, go to www.healthgrades.com/quality.