STAATSBURG – Local hospitals Vassar Brothers and Northern Dutchess each received multiple Specialty Excellence Awards Thursday afternoon as HealthGrades recognized them to be in the top five percent nationally in their respective programs.

“We’re here to recognize the quality performance for the Health Quest system hospitals,” said Anthony DelVicario of HealthGrades. “Each of the hospitals performs in the top five or 10 percent of hospitals nationwide.” He explained that each hospital’s quality and performance is rated by an annual national study done by HealthGrades that collects data from over 5,000 hospitals across the country.

The HealthGrades ratings reflect the pattern of patient outcomes at each hospital in the form of complication rates and mortality, he said.

This year, Vassar Brothers Hospital was ranked among the national top five percent for Cardiac Surgery for the second year in a row and the top 10 percent for Coronary Interventional Procedures. Also awarded to Vassar was the Maternity Care Excellence Award as well as a 5-Star rating in: Coronary Bypass Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, Valve Replacement Surgery, and Coronary Interventional Procedures.

“These awards reaffirm that the huge investments that we’ve made in quality and patient safety are paying off when it comes to our mortality rates, our decreased complication rates and that ultimately the people of the Hudson Valley are benefiting,” said Vassar Brothers Hospital President Dr. Daniel Aronzon.

“These awards are measures of our core values and we appreciate them but it’s really about what goes on in the trenches every day,” he said.

Also this year, Northern Dutchess Hospital was ranked among the national top five percent in Joint Replacement for the second year in a row as well as number two in New York State for Joint Replacement. Northern Dutchess also received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award and a Five-Star rating in Joint Replacement, Total Knee Replacement, Hip Replacement, and Maternity Care.

“It’s very exciting to be recognized for three years in a row for our Maternity Care and our Orthopedic Care,” said President and CEO of Northern Dutchess Hospital Denise George before adding that the award she was most proud of was the Outstanding Patient Experience. “Being at the top of the heap there is just fabulous for us.”