Fewer people die from heart attacks at Sutter Memorial Hospital than at other hospitals like it. But Kaiser Permanente's Sacramento Medical Center does better with stroke care. New data posted by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development show wide variation among Sacramento-area hospitals in mortality rates for common medical conditions like heart attack, pneumonia and stroke. That's even after rates are risk-adjusted to take into account patients with pre-existing health conditions. The measures are indicators of hospital quality, but should be considered in context with other health care data, state officials say.
