(Baltimore, MD - April 1, 2011) Maryland General Hospital achieved the lowest hospital complication rate in the state of Maryland for fiscal year 2010, according to the Maryland Health Services Review Commission (HSCRC).

Complications are medical conditions that are unexpected and are unlikely to be caused by a patient's illness. The complication rate is taken from a list of 64 Potentially Preventable Complications (PPC) adapted by Maryland's HSCRC. Potentially Preventable PPCs are not present when the patient is first admitted to the hospital and can be caused by the care they receive during their hospitalization. Examples of these preventable complications include urinary tract infections, septicemia (infection in the blood), and stroke.

Maryland General's #1 rank in this areas means that the hospital's results are better than the overall average in the State of Maryland and better than all other Maryland hospitals.

"Maryland General is committed to proving safe and effective quality care for our patients", says Sylvia Smith Johnson, MGH President and CEO. "This impressive statewide ranking is simply one more example of that commitment. Our physicians, nursing and other clinical staff members are to be congratulated for helping Maryland General achieve the lowest hospital complication rate in the state for fiscal year 2010".