Stroke patients at DeKalb Medical are getting the best care in Georgia, an independent healthcare rating company says.

HealthGrades, a Golden, Colo.-based rating company, awarded its 2009 Clinical Excellence Award to the hospital in October. The award signifies that the healthcare system is the top-ranked health provider for stroke treatment in Georgia and among the top 10 percent nationally.

DeKalb Medical also received a five-star rating for the treatment of heart attacks and hip replacement for the third year in a row.

It also got five-star ratings for hip fracture repair, peripheral vascular bypass and the treatment of pneumonia and sepsis.

Eric Norwood, the hospital's president and CEO, said the awards are an indication that the substantial infrastructure investments and the day-to-day improvements in procedure are paying off.

"Not a single one of our service lines received a one-star rating," Norwood said. "It's a reaffirmation of the high clinical quality and patient outcomes."

Dr. Joseph Weissman, the hospital's neurologist, said improved rehabilitation services and more thorough screening of patients for swallowing problems have made a tremendous impact on patient outcomes.

"We do a pretty good job of getting our patients out of the hospital - healthy - in a timely fashion," he said.

HealthGrades ranked more than 41 million Medicare hospitalization records from 2005 to 2007 at approximately 5,000 hospitals on a scale of 5 to 1. Hospitals with patient outcomes that were above average received a five-star rating, while below average service was given one star.