The Bellevue Hospital has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for both Emergency Care and Patient Safety by the Women’s Choice Award®, America’s trusted referral source for the best in healthcare.
“These awards are a testament to our ongoing commitment to the families within our community – and we could not have achieved this exceptional recognition without the support of our entire TBH Family,” said Timothy A. Buit, president and CEO of TBH. “In a year that has been quite challenging, we are so proud of this accomplishment. Our unwavering commitment to providing the best healthcare is our most important pledge to our community.”
The Emergency Care award signifies that TBH is one of 477 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for emergency care in the U.S. out of 4,542 U.S. hospitals offering emergency care services.
The methodology for America’s Best Hospitals for Emergency Care award is unique in that it combines Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. The award recognizes excellence in emergency care based on several process of care measures focused on time patients spent in the emergency department, including:
- Total time spent in the Emergency Department
- Time from admission to a room
- Percent of emergency patients who left without being seen
Criteria for selecting TBH as one of America’s Best also included the percentage of patients who came to the emergency department with stroke symptoms who received brain scan results within 45 minutes of arrival. Also included this year were hospitals that performed well in responding to patients showing symptoms of severe sepsis, a very dangerous condition. The awarded hospitals represent those with emergency departments with average measure times in the highest 25th to 50th percentile in the country.
The award is especially significant given that long waits and high crowding can negatively impact patient outcomes, including patients leaving without receiving medical treatment, longer overall length of hospital stay and an increase in mortality rates.
“We have found that recommendations are an important consideration used by women in selecting a hospital for themselves and their family. By helping women know which hospitals in their area provide the best critical care, we are able to help them make better decisions, especially when it comes to emergency situations,” says Delia Passi, CEO and Founder of the Women’s Choice Award.
In addition to the Women’s Choice Award for Emergency Care, TBH has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety. This award indicates that TBH is one of 294 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for patient safety in the U.S. out of 4,542 U.S. hospitals for safe surgery practices and lower rates for complications and infections.
Healthcare has made significant strides in patient safety in recent years. Hospital-acquired conditions have declined resulting in fewer patient deaths according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Hospital-acquired conditions are conditions that a patient develops while in the hospital being treated for something else.
“Not all hospitals can say they are the safest in the country, and by identifying those who are, the Women’s Choice Award is helping the female consumer identify the hospitals in her community that are dedicated to creating the safest patient experience,” said Passi. “This recognition is critical for women as they make over 80% of healthcare decisions and need to know they are putting themselves—and their family members—in the safest hands.”
The methodology used to select TBH as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety is unique in that it evaluates 11 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) measures of infections and complications, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results along with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. It is the only award recognizing excellence in patient safety based on robust criteria that consider patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.
For more information about the Women’s Choice Awards, please visit www.womenschoiceaward.com.