Jesse Brown is a leader in VA in mortality rate

Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago is a leader among Veterans Affairs medical centers in standardized mortality rates (SMR), according to the current Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning (SAIL) report.

SMR expresses the ratio of observed deaths to expected deaths in a population. A lower number indicates a higher survival rate within that population and overall increased levels of patient safety.

In SMR for heart failure, Jesse Brown is 2nd in VA.

In SMR for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Jesse Brown is 4th in VA.

In SMR for inpatients, including 30 days after hospital stay, Jesse Brown is 10th in VA.

The SAIL report presents data based on rolling 12-month performance.

"These rankings are clear indicators of the focus on safe patient care and outcomes by everyone at Jesse Brown," said Dr. Sarah Unterman, Chief of Staff at Jesse Brown.

Jesse Brown recently completed its triennial Joint Commission survey with no major findings, which is another indicator of the medical center's focus on patient care.

"Our entire staff has done tremendous work over the last year as they have worked through the changes brought on by the pandemic and then our vaccination effort, all while continuing the work of treating and caring for all of our COVID and non-COVID patients," said Dr. Brenda Burke, Associate Director of Patient Care Services at Jesse Brown.

About the Jesse Brown VA: Jesse Brown VAMC is located near downtown Chicago in the Illinois Medical District. It is a 220-bed acute care facility and operates four community-based outpatient clinics in Auburn Gresham, Lakeside, Chicago Heights, and Crown Point, Ind. Jesse Brown VAMC provides care to approximately 62,000 enrolled Veterans who reside in the City of Chicago, Cook County and six counties in northwestern Indiana.