Millions Identify Hospitals They Can Trust with Their Safety

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Dec 03, 2014, 12:35 ET

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Dec. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women's Choice Award, a leading consumer advocacy group, honors the 2015 America's Best Hospitals for Patient Safety. This distinction is the only evidence-based designation that identifies the country's best hospitals based on robust criteria regarding patient safety and what women say they want from a hospital.

"Whether it's poor care coordination, antibiotic resistant infections, or serious complications, lives are being lost and women need to know which hospitals they can trust to follow the highest patient safety standards to ensure the proper quality care of their loved ones," says Delia Passi, CEO and founder of WomenCertified Inc., home to the Women's Choice Award. "Improving patient safety is not only a matter of error prevention, but it's a calculated step in spending the extra time needed to deliver quality care that saves lives."

Improved patient safety and fewer mistakes at U.S. Hospitals saved the lives of roughly 50,000 people from 2011 – 2013. Improvements saved an estimated $12 billion in health care spending according to a new government report. (McClatchy Washington Bureau, Dec. 2, 2014)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 2 million people each year suffer hospital-acquired infections, such as bloodstream and urinary tract infections from catheters. (McClatchy Washington Bureau, Dec. 2, 2014)
Preventable medical errors persist as the No. 3 killer in the U.S. – third only to heart disease and cancer (Healthcare ITNews, July 2014)

The 311 America's Best Hospitals for Patient Safety were identified based on having a low incidence of problems arising from surgical errors and infections. The hospitals that report their frequency to The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are ranked for each of twelve measures. Hospitals are eliminated from consideration for not reporting on at least four of the surgical complication measures or four of the infection measures, having a below average patient recommendation rating, ranking in the bottom 5% for any one of the measures and not implementing surgical checklists.

The Women's Choice Award partners with over 200 hospitals to empower women to make smart healthcare choices through community outreach and education. The partner hospitals below proudly carry the Women's Choice Award seal and are recognized as among the safest in America:

Baptist Heart Hospital (FL)
Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville (FL)
Baptist Medical Center South (FL)
Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (VA)
Grandview Medical Center (OH)
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (CA)
Kettering Medical Center (OH)
Lafayette General Medical Center (LA)
North Cypress Medical Center (TX)
Saint Agnes Medical Center (CA)
Southview Medical Center (OH)
St. Elizabeth Healthcare (KY)
St. Mary's Health Care System (GA)
Wolfson Children's Hospital (FL)

To view the full list of America's Best Hospitals for Patient Safety click here.

About the Women's Choice Award
The Women's Choice Award sets the standard for empowering women to make smart choices. Its awards identify the brands, products and services most recommended and trusted by women. Awards are based on evidenced based research. Visit www.WomensChoiceAward.com.

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SOURCE Women's Choice Award