Bellevue Hospital receives Women's Choice Award

BELLEVUE — The Bellevue Hospital has been named one of America's Best Hospitals for Emergency Care by the Women's Choice Award, America's trusted referral source for the best in health care. The award signifies that The Bellevue Hospital is in the top 9% of more than 4,700 U.S. hospitals offering emergency care services. "This award demonstrates our ongoing commitment to provide our community quality care, close to home," said Timothy Buit, the hospital's president and chief executive officer. "We are so proud of this accomplishment and would not have achieved this exceptional recognition without the support of our entire The Bellevue Hospital family, including our board of trustees, medical staff, employees and volunteers," Buit said. Each year, there are more than 130 million emergency room visits in the U.S. "Emergency departments continue to be an essential part of the health care system as they provide fast, life-or-limb saving care to millions each year," according to a hospital statement. "Unlike other hospital departments that interact with the same patient and families for an extended period, emergency room staff typically has one patient encounter, often when anxiety and fear is at its peak." "Emergency departments can be very stressful environments, particularly for the elderly or a mother with a sick or injured child," said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women's Choice Award. "Women make or influence 94% of all health care decisions for themselves and others," Passi added. "They want to be confident that they know which emergency departments in their communities will take care of their loved ones quickly and with the best possible care. Knowing the Women's Choice Award has already placed their seal of excellence on a hospital is immediate validation that they have made the right decision, easing their concern during a very stressful time." The methodology for such an award is unique in that it combines Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey results with primary research about women's health care preferences. The award recognizes excellence in emergency care based on several processes of care measures focused on time patients spent in the emergency department. Criteria for selecting The Bellevue Hospital 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 percentile to 50th percentile in the country. Additional points were provided for the various trauma center levels. "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," according to a statement from the Women's Choice Award. "The Bellevue Hospital not only performed well clinically with regard to emergency care measures but they also have a high recommendation rating, which is very important to women when it comes to health-related decisions," Passi said. The Bellevue Hospital is one of about 400 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for emergency care in the U.S. by the Women's Choice Award.