2023 MetroHealth Annual Report

No. 1 in Ohio for Contributions to Community Health

MetroHealth was recognized by the nonpartisan Lown Institute for its generous contributions to community health and well-being, receiving an “A” grade in community benefit and ranking first out of 140 hospitals in Ohio and among the top 2% of nearly 3,800 hospitals nationally. MetroHealth also earned an “A” grade on Lown’s overarching social responsibility metric, reflecting the health system’s strong performance in the areas of health equity, patient outcomes and value of care.

Building a Healthcare Workforce

In 2023, MetroHealth welcomed several public policy leaders to the Lincoln-West School of Science & Health, the first high school in a hospital in the country. The school – a collaboration with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) – serves as a model for encouraging young people to pursue meaningful careers in healthcare. Guests included U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, U.S. Congresswoman Shontel Brown (D-OH, 11th District), U.S. Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (D-OH, 13th District), Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

Groundbreaking Cancer Treatment – For All

In 2023, MetroHealth opened a Vector and Cellular Facility, the first in the nation at a safety-net hospital, to develop and produce cutting-edge therapies and expand life-saving cancer care to underserved communities. The new facility reflects the ambitions and efforts of the Cleveland Innovation District, a collaborative partnership between the state of Ohio, JobsOhio, and Cleveland’s five major medical and academic institutions, including MetroHealth.

Healthy Kids are Stronger Learners

In January 2023, MetroHealth and Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District opened the new Heights Wellness Center at Heights High School and significantly expanded healthcare services offered to the district’s students, families and staff. The expansion was made possible by a nearly $4.5 million state grant to MetroHealth’s School Health Program. The funding also allowed MetroHealth to expand services through its mobile unit that serves other schools in the district. In 2024, MetroHealth will open comprehensive wellness centers at three CMSD schools and bring excellent care to thousands more students, families and school employees.

Quality Matters

A People-Centered Approach to Quality Improvement

In 2023, MetroHealth embarked on a transformative journey to ensure every person we serve receives the highest quality of care. Those efforts resulted in a 30% reduction in patient harms – a pace of improvement unheard of in the healthcare industry.

The secret? Our people.

MetroHealth took a bottom-up approach with its quality improvement efforts that ensured the voice of every caregiver – regardless of rank or role – was heard. When concerns were identified, working groups of front-line caregivers came together to develop solutions.

That work resulted in dramatic reductions in pressure ulcers, surgery-site infections, C-diff infections and other preventable harms. Likewise, MetroHealth’s patient-experience scores climbed while patient grievances declined. And because of a renewed commitment to transparency and accountability, MetroHealth’s quality metrics were made available to every caregiver.

“By making this data readily available to our caregivers, we are making a concerted effort to build a culture focused on continuous improvement,” said Joseph Golob, MD, Executive Vice President, Chief Quality and Safety Officer. “There is never an end to this work – we always want to get better. That is what our patients and this community deserve.”

Hope Delivered

Deepening Focus on Maternal Health

MetroHealth continues to reinforce its reputation as a leader in maternal and infant health, providing the highest-quality care for the community’s expectant women and newborns – including the most vulnerable.

In January 2023, MetroHealth opened a new, state-of-the-art Birth Center and NICU. In its first year, the Center welcomed 2,711 newborns, and the NICU cared for 543 newborns. The Center also posted impressive outcomes: Only 18% of the first-time deliveries were by cesarean section, less than the national average of 22.5%. The pre-term
birthrate fell to 14%, down from 16% the year before the Center opened.

While MetroHealth is known for its expertise with both low- and high-risk pregnancies, the System is going beyond its own walls in its commitment to maternal health.

One of the most successful examples is the Nurse-Family Partnership – a program where nurses make regular home visits to expectant mothers during pregnancy, after delivery and through their child’s second birthday.

MetroHealth’s obstetric providers are also leaders in the state in developing ways to eliminate disparities.

“Our obstetric nurses are committed to addressing the maternal health equity crisis,” said Kimberly Green, MSN, RN, C-EFM, Vice President of Women and Children Services. “Their mission is to ensure our patients have the healthiest possible pregnancy, delivery and postpartum experiences. We are dedicated to preparing all new moms to be the best they can be through education, awareness and holistic care.”

MetroHealth is also doing groundbreaking research to improve pregnancy outcomes for its patients and inform pregnancy care nationally and internationally. The Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine is one of only a few in the nation selected to participate in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute in Child Health and Human Development’s Maternal Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) research network.