SUNY Downstate Tops Among NYC Hospitals for Avoiding Unnecessary Procedures
By Office of Communications & Marketing | May 5, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Dawn S. Walker | dawn.walker@downstate.edu | 917-439-9666
Lown Institute Hospital Index Puts Downstate 1st in NYC, Ranked #2 Among all Hospitals in New York State
Brooklyn N.Y. (May 7, 2021) - SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University has been recognized in a nationwide study conducted by the Lown Institute ranking in the 99th percentile for avoiding wasteful, unnecessary medical procedures. Among the more
than 3,100 hospitals evaluated in this study, SUNY Downstate ranks #1 among New York
City hospitals, #2 among all hospitals in the state, and in the top 10 hospitals in
the Northeast region.
“According to this study, every 80 seconds, a hospital in the U.S. delivers a low-value
test or procedure to an older adult, putting hundreds of thousands at risk of harm.
Here at SUNY Downstate, we pride ourselves on offering the best medical care to our
community, which includes avoiding unnecessary procedures that may pose a risk,” said David Berger, M.D., MHCM, FACS, Chief Executive Officer of the University Hospital
of Brooklyn at SUNY Downstate. “It is an honor to be recognized by the Lown Institute for our commitment to patients’
health. I applaud the members of our healthcare teams for their devotion to put patient
care above all else and their continuous hard work to ensure the SUNY Downstate name
is one of integrity, efficiency, and success.
The 2021 Lown Institute Hospitals Index avoiding overuse metric uses data from the
100% Medicare claims database from January 1, 2016 – December 31, 2018. The study
measured 12 low-value services, four tests and eight procedures including arthroscopic
knee surgery, hysterectomies, and spinal fusion/laminectomies. Hospitals’ overuse
score for each service is based on the rate of overuse as well as the volume of overuse.
The overuse composite ranking is based on all services, with more weight placed on
the services that make up the larger share of overuse.
The Lown Institue is a nonpartisan think tank advocating bold ideas for a just and
caring system for health through research, convening experts, and sparking public
debate to bridge the gap between existing public policy solutions and the care that
Americans want and need. For more information on the Lown Institute study, please
visit: https://lownhospitalsindex.org/2021-winning-hospitals-avoiding-overuse/
About the Lown Institute
Founded in 1973 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Bernard Lown, MD, developer of the defibrillator and cardioverter, the Lown Institute believes that a radically better system of health is possible and generates bold ideas towards that goal. The Lown Hospitals Index, a signature project of the Institute, is the first ranking to assess the social responsibility of U.S. hospitals by applying measures never used before like racial inclusivity, avoidance of overuse, and pay equity.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is the borough’s only academic medical center for health education, research, and patient care, and is a 342-bed facility serving the healthcare needs of New York City, and Brooklyn’s 2.6 million residents. University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) is Downstate’s teaching hospital, backed by the expertise of an outstanding medical school and the research facilities of a world-class academic center. More than 800 physicians, representing 53 specialties and subspecialties—many of them ranked as tops in their fields—comprise Downstate's staff.
A regional center for cardiac care, neonatal and high-risk infant services, pediatric dialysis, and transplantation, Downstate also houses a major learning center for children with physical ailments or neurological disorders. In addition to UHB, Downstate comprises a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Public Health, and a multifaceted biotechnology initiative, including the Downstate Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT for early-stage and more mature companies, respectively. For more information, visit www.downstate.edu or follow us on Twitter at @sunydownstate.