Independent National Study Recognizes

The Heart Center of Indiana for Clinical Quality Excellence

Named Best in the Indianapolis Area for Overall Cardiac Services in

7^th Annual HealthGrades Study

LAKEWOOD, CO (October 12, 2004) – The Heart Center of Indiana has received five-star ratings for clinical quality and performance excellence in coronary interventional procedures and the treatment of heart attack, according to a new study released today by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading healthcare quality company.

                The ratings earned by The Heart Center of Indiana place it among the Top 15% of hospitals in the nation for these services.  The hospital received the highest possible ratings for the treatment of heart attack and was named the top-rated facility in the Indianapolis area for overall cardiac services.

                “We’re very pleased and proud to be recognized with these outstanding HealthGrades quality ratings, which validate our commitment to clinical excellence,” said Chief Executive Officer John Stewart.  “Top ratings from an independent, objective national source demonstrate the quality cardiac care that our physicians and team members deliver to the patients and families in our community every day.”

As part of its seventh annual Hospital Quality in America Study, HealthGrades independently analyzed nearly 5,000 hospitals in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for its 2005 ratings, objectively assessing their clinical outcomes, performance and quality.

The HealthGrades ratings measure whether patient outcomes for each of more than two dozen procedures and diagnoses are better than expected (5-Star), as expected (3-Star) or worse than expected (1-Star).  Earning a five-star designation indicates that a hospital has scored in the Top 15% or better in the nation for clinical quality.

                “HealthGrades objectively assesses and rates hospital performance in order to help consumers make better and more informed healthcare choices,” explained Sarah Loughran,

HealthGrades executive vice president.  “With consumers having a greater stake in their healthcare purchasing decisions, it’s important for them to know that there is a tremendous difference in clinical quality outcomes between hospitals.

                “In Indianapolis, The Heart Center of Indiana stands out notably in terms of delivering quality care for its cardiac patients,” Loughran added.  “Patients, families and employers here truly have access to healthcare that is among the best in the nation.”

                The 2005 HealthGrades ratings for all hospitals nationwide are available, free of charge, on the web at www.healthgrades.com.  More than one million unique users and 125 major employers visit the HealthGrades web site every month to access quality information about hospitals, nursing homes and physicians.  HealthGrades also provides consumers and payers with detailed assessments of hospitals’ patient safety outcomes, based on indicators developed by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

About HealthGrades

Health Grades, Inc. (OTCBB: HGRD) is the leading independent healthcare quality company, providing ratings, information, and advisory services to healthcare providers, employers, health plans, and insurance companies. HealthGrades works with healthcare providers to help assess, improve and promote their quality. HealthGrades provides consumers access to information about the clinical quality and patient safety outcomes of healthcare providers and practitioners through its Web site and provides liability insurers, employers, and payers with critical information about healthcare quality and safety.

About The Heart Center of Indiana

The Heart Center of Indiana opened in December 2002, and was founded by The Care Group, CorVasc and St. Vincent Health. Located at 106^th and Meridian Street on the north side of Indianapolis, The Heart Center of Indiana focuses on providing advanced cardiac care and exceptional customer service to meet and exceed the needs of individuals and families affected by heart and vascular disease. 

In September 2004, The Heart Center of Indiana signed a two-year research collaboration agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions, one of the world’s largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. Through the agreement, The Heart Center of Indiana will leverage Siemens’ most advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies to discover innovative uses of MRI in cardiac care, reducing the need for invasive procedures and providing more efficient patient care. For more information on The Heart Center of Indiana, please visit www.theheartcenter.com.

Editor's Note: HealthGrades video/b-roll is available at www.thenewsmarket.com.  A registered username and password are required.  If you have questions, please call (303) 716-6522 for detailed information.

HealthGrades Frequently Asked Questions

What is HealthGrades?

·          Health Grades, Inc. is an independent healthcare information and advisory services company based in Lakewood, Colo.  The company’s core business is to provide accurate and objective comparison ratings of healthcare providers, based solely on the quality of clinical outcomes.

How Are Healthcare Providers Rated By HealthGrades?

·          HealthGrades independently and objectively analyzes and rates nearly 5,000 hospitals according to specialty (cardiac surgery, cardiology, orthopedic surgery, neurosciences, pulmonary/ respiratory, vascular surgery, obstetrics, Women’s Health and other procedures).

·          Data on the clinical quality of providers is obtained from more than 75 independent public and private sources, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, state medical boards and state departments of health or public health.

·          HealthGrades analyzes the healthcare provider data, and subsequently rates the clinical quality of providers, using detailed methodologies and statistical models developed by national experts.  The HealthGrades models and methodologies are open and transparent – workshops are held at the company’s Lakewood office each quarter to share the details with healthcare leaders.  Our methodology white paper is also available on the web at www.healthgrades.com.

Can Hospitals Pay HealthGrades for Good Ratings or Purchase Better Ratings?

·          NO.  All providers are rated by HealthGrades based on the exact same data (which anyone can obtain) and methodology.  Providers cannot “purchase” or “pay for” a positive HealthGrades rating; nor can providers pay to have substandard ratings changed.

·          HealthGrades has consulted with nearly 300 hospitals nationwide to help them market positive ratings; and to assess, understand and improve the quality of their clinical outcomes.  However, the hospital ratings are developed independently and outside the consulting process.

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