Report: Firelands among world's top hospitals

SANDUSKY — Amid a global pandemic, patients worldwide need and demand high-quality care, arguably, more so than ever before. Many hospitals, including one headquartered in Sandusky, not only stepped up during an unprecedented crisis but did so in triumphant fashion, according to one leading magazine hyperfocused on medical reporting. Newsweek, through its recently released 2021 World's Best Hospitals ranking, highlighted Firelands Regional Medical Center as one of Ohio's outstanding health care providers. The list's primary purpose: guide and direct patients to the premier places offering the best care. Firelands represented just one of about two-dozen statewide hospitals to appear on the 2021 list. Furthermore, it's only one of three single-hospital independent health systems in Ohio to receive recognition. "We are honored to be included on Newsweek's World's Best Hospitals 2021 list," said Jeremy Normington-Slay, Firelands' president and CEO. "This accolade recognizes the commitment and dedication of Firelands' board of directors, physicians and employees as well as the health system's state-of-the-art technology," Normington-Slay added. "It is a privilege and an honor for me to serve such an amazing group of professionals." Newsweek also noted Firelands' infection prevention measures. In other words, the magazine recognized Firelands for low infection rates due to its commitment for cleanliness. "I am proud of the work we have done to keep our patients, guests and associates safe," said Dr. Michael Blank, Firelands' infectious disease specialist. "It truly takes a village to achieve high ratings in infection prevention, and I would like to thank all Firelands associates for their dedication." Magazine metrics Newsweek, in partnership with Statista Inc., a global data research firm, based its ranking on three data sources from: • Medical experts — More than 74,000 doctors, hospital managers and health care professionals received an invitation to participate in an online survey. • Patients — Those receiving care in the past year filled out surveys, gauging one's overall satisfaction with the medical care received in a particular establishment. • Medical key performance indicators — The article took into account many factors, such as mortality, readmission rates, timeliness of care and efficient use of medical imaging, to rank hospitals.