HOUSTON, Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Houston Northwest Medical Center today announced that it has received 11 quality designations through CIGNA HealthCare, a subsidiary of CIGNA Corporation (NYSE: CI).

These quality designations are based on outcomes for treatment of 29 surgical procedures and medical conditions. The patient outcomes data are in part based on a hospital's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare measures, Leapfrog Patient Safety Measures, and their mortality and complication rates. The designations indicate superior outcomes and about 57 percent of CIGNA HealthCare's network hospitals receive a quality designation for treatment of at least one condition.

"These designations provide evidence of our hospital's commitment to providing high quality care," said Drew Kahn, Houston Northwest Medical Center's chief executive office. "Such recognition demonstrates that our hospital and staff deliver care that exceeds nationally recognized standards for the specific condition.

In addition to these quality designations, Houston Northwest Medical Center received seven Center of Excellence (COE) designations for 2008 from CIGNA HealthCare. These COE classifications mean that the hospital met CIGNA HealthCare's high standards for quality and efficiency.

"Our goal is to provide individuals with valuable information regarding those hospital programs that achieve both superior quality outcomes and superior affordability," said Dick Salmon, M.D., Ph.D., senior national medical director at CIGNA HealthCare. "The Centers of Excellence designations are readily available to patients who use CIGNA Care Connections, an integrated online provider directory or through CIGNA HealthCare's clinical resources such as 24 Health Information Line nurses."

    Awarded quality and Center of Excellence designations for 2008:

    -- Angioplasty*
    -- Coronary Artery Bypass Graft*
    -- Cardiac Catheterization
    -- Colon Surgery*
    -- Adult Craniotomy*
    -- Laparoscopic Gall Bladder Removal*
    -- Head and Neck Endarterectomy*
    -- Heart Attack
    -- Adult Pneumonia
    -- Stroke
    -- Vaginal Delivery*


    * Indicates CIGNA HealthCare COE Designation

"As health care continues to evolve, we are seeing a greater need to improve community health through the transformation of patient care to meet the unique and changing needs of the patients we serve," says Donald Butts, M.D., colon & rectal surgeon on the medical staff at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "The Center of Excellence designation for Colon Surgery by Cigna is one of several accolades received by Houston Northwest Medical Center that showcases the quality care provided by this hospital."

"Quality designations for head and neck endarterectomy, angioplasty, cardiac catheterization, coronary artery bypass graft and heart attack by Cigna is a testament to the skilled and experienced team at Houston Northwest Medical Center who are dedicated to improving the health of our community," states Clifford Kitten, M.D., cardiothoracic surgery on the medical staff at Houston Northwest Medical Center.

"It is an honor to work at a hospital that is recognized for its ability to provide safe and effective maternity care to patients," says Glenn Morgan M.D., obstetric and gynecologist on the medical staff at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "Expecting parents can take comfort in the knowledge that Houston Northwest Medical Center is recognized by Cigna as a Center of Excellence for vaginal delivery."

About Houston Northwest Medical Center

Houston Northwest Medical Center is located at 710 F.M. 1960 West in Houston. Houston Northwest Medical Center has been serving the North Houston community for 35 years. The hospital is an Accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Houston Northwest Medical Center ranks among the nation's top hospitals for several service lines from HealthGrades, a leading source for independent health care quality information, including overall gastrointestinal services, gastrointestinal surgery, stroke, general surgery, maternity care, back and neck surgery (spinal fusion), overall critical care services, and overall pulmonary services. Houston Northwest Medical Center is also a Blue Cross/Blue Shield Center for excellence in weight loss surgery. To learn more about Houston Northwest Medical Center, a facility accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, visit http://www.hnmc.com.

About CIGNA HealthCare

CIGNA HealthCare, a health service organization based in Bloomfield, CT, works to improve the health, well-being and security of the people we serve. A leading provider of employee benefit services and programs, CIGNA HealthCare offers a broad array of medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy benefits plans and coverage. We also build and provide health and wellness coaching programs and consumer information tools designed to improve health and help people in their health care decision-making. "CIGNA HealthCare" and the "Tree of Life" logo are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI) and its operating subsidiaries, including Connecticut General Life Insurance Company. All products and services are provided exclusively by such operating subsidiaries, and not by CIGNA Corporation. For more information, visit http://www.cigna.com.

     Contact: Theresa Lewis
     Houston Northwest Medical Center
     (281) 440-2373
     Kim.Walsh@tenethealth.com

SOURCE Houston Northwest Medical Center