Gulf Coast Medical Center Rises to Four Stars in CMS Quality Star Ratings

Other Lee Health’s Adult, Acute Care Hospitals Earn Three Stars from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

(Fort Myers, Fla. – Jan. 30, 2020) --- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have awarded Gulf Coast Medical Center with four stars and Cape Coral Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center and Lee Memorial Hospital with three stars in their 2020 Five-Star Quality Ratings. The scores reflect recent improvements undertaken by the health system to continue improving its quality of care for the Southwest Florida community.

“The CMS star rankings are a benchmark of hospital quality and safety and we are proud to be recognized for the high level of care we deliver to patients across Southwest Florida every day. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication the doctors, advanced providers, nurses and support staff bring to providing high-quality, compassionate and safe care at Lee Health hospitals,” said Larry Antonucci, M.D., MBA, Lee Health president and CEO. 

CMS created the Five-Star Quality Rating System to help consumers, their families and caregivers compare hospitals more easily. The scores are based on previously reported quality and safety data points including, patient satisfaction, value and outcomes, among others.

“The Five-Star Rating program is one of the measures that drive us to continuously reevaluate and advance the quality of care offered at Lee Health. We’re committed to constant improvement in our approach to high-quality, compassionate care and will continue to use the CMS report to identify opportunities to build on our success,” said Scott Kashman, Lee Health’s chief officer, hospital operations. “We’re also grateful for the tireless work our entire team puts in to care for patients, especially our caregivers, to create a healing environment and safest experience for all we serve.”

The updated CMS rankings follow recent recognitions Lee Health has received for quality and safety. In December, all four Lee Health adult acute care hospitals earned “A” ratings for safety from the Leapfrog Group for the second straight reporting period. Leapfrog also named Gulf Coast Medical Center a “top hospital” in the U.S.” The non-profit Leapfrog Group releases its hospital safety grades twice a year, rating hospitals on 27 measures of safety data. Only 32 percent of the approximately 2,500 acute care hospitals Leapfrog graded received an “A.”

Visit https://www.medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/About/Hospital-Info.html to learn more about CMS uses data.

About Lee Health

Since the opening of the first hospital in 1916, Lee Health has been a health care leader in Southwest Florida, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. A non-profit, integrated health care services organization, Lee Health is committed to the well-being of every individual served, focused on healthy living and maintaining good health. Staffed by caring people, inspiring health, services are conveniently located throughout the community in four acute care hospitals, two specialty hospitals, outpatient centers, walk-in medical centers, primary care and specialty physician practices and other services across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.LeeHealth.org.