Award recognizes safe surgery practices, lower rates for complications, infections
Johnston Health has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety by the Women’s Choice Award, America’s trusted referral source for the best in health care. The award signifies that Johnston Health is in the top 8 percent of 4,797 U.S. hospitals for patient safety.
Health care has made significant strides in patient safety in recent years. Hospital-acquired conditions declined 21 percent from 2010 to 2015, resulting in 125,000 fewer patient deaths according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Hospital-acquired conditions are conditions that a patient develops while in the hospital being treated for something else.
“Safety is always a top priority,” said Chuck Elliott, CEO and president of Johnston Health. “I’m proud of the hard work that our staff and physicians do every day to ensure that we’re following best practices. Our patients and families deserve excellent care and an excellent experience.”
The Women’s Choice Award is the latest in a string of accolades for Johnston Health. In the past year, Hospital Compare rated the organization four (out of five) stars for quality. The Leapfrog Group awarded straight “As” for the second consecutive year for patient safety. And in August, U.S. News & World Report rated Johnston Health as high performing in the care and treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.
The methodology used to select Johnston Health 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 health care preferences. It is the only award recognizing excellence in patient safety based on robust criteria that consider patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.
“The recipients of the America’s Best Hospitals for Patient Safety award have led the country by implementing safe practices that have ultimately saved lives,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “This recognition is critical for women because they make 80 percent of health care decisions and need to know they are putting themselves, and their family members, in safe hands.”
To receive the award, hospitals must also use an Inpatient Safe Surgery Checklist to assess effective communication and safe practices during three perioperative periods: prior to administration of anesthesia; prior to skin incision; and prior to the patient leaving the operating room or procedural area.
Johnston Health is one of 399 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for patient safety in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award
