Adventist Health Howard Memorial 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 healthcare. The award signifies that Howard Memorial is in the top 7% of 4,728 U.S. hospitals offering emergency care services.

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 healthcare system as they provide fast, life-or-limb saving care to millions each year. Unlike other hospital departments that interact with the same patient and families for an extended period, ER 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 healthcare decisions for themselves and others. 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 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

• Percent of Emergency Patients Who Left Without Being Seen

Criteria for selecting Howard Memorial as one of the Best Hospitals 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. 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.

“Howard Memorial 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” says Passi.

Howard Memorial is one of 528 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for emergency care in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award.

“We’re very grateful to be recognized nationally for the emergency care we provide at our hospital to the city of Willits and the many other neighbors across northern California that surround us in our rural communities,” says Linda Givens, Administrator for Adventist Health Howard Memorial. “We strive for the very best patient-centered care and we’re honored that our commitment and dedication to our community has garnered this award and acknowledgement.”

This article was published on the Adventist Health website.