Percent of Hip Replacement Surgery Patients who Received Preventive Antibiotics 1 Hour Before Surgery

What the graph is saying

For this measure, higher percentages are better. The graph above shows that HealthEast hospitals score better than the Minnesota average.

Why is this measure important?

Antibiotics are medicines to prevent and treat infections. Research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their operation are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. This shows how often hospitals make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time.

Description above from the United States Department of Health & Human Services Hospital Compare web site: www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov

* The "Top U.S. Hospitals" represent the top 10% of all hospitals reporting information to Hospital Compare.