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Becker's Hospital Review is pleased to name 100 Great Hospitals of 2012. The following hospitals each have a special place in the story of American healthcare and have demonstrated greatness through clinical accolades, innovation in care delivery, recent capital developments, and the offering of new services, specialty programs or technology. Ranging in size and location, these reputable hospitals each saw noteworthy accomplishments in 2011 and will continue to make strides this year.
To develop this list, the Becker's Hospital Review editorial staff accepted nominations, conducted research and considered other reputable hospital ranking sources such as U.S. News & World Report, Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals, HealthGrades, Magnet Recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipients.
Editor's note: This list is not a ranking, and hospitals are displayed in alphabetical order. This list is not an endorsement of included hospitals or associated healthcare providers, and hospitals cannot pay to be included on this list.
We are pleased to reveal the first 80 hospitals of 100 Great Hospitals of 2012. Each Wednesday will feature another portion of the list. Return next Wednesday, April 18, for the last 20 of 100 Great Hospitals.
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove, Ill.). Located in a southwest suburb of Chicago, this 333-bed hospital includes nearly 1,000 physicians and is continually expanding affiliations with local providers. A 2010 Malcolm Baldrige Award recipient, Advocate Good Samaritan is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and was named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011. The hospital is also part of an accountable care organization formed in 2011 by parent organization Advocate Health Care and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Akron (Ohio) General Medical Center. Since it was founded in 1914, Akron General Medical Center has grown to include more than 1,000 physicians and now serves as the home to 11 medical residency programs. In 2011, HealthGrades named the hospital one of the 50 best in the nation as well as a distinguished hospital for clinical excellence. This year, Akron General opened a neurological intensive care unit as part of a larger effort to improve stroke care and neurological services in the area.
Animas Surgical Hospital (Durango, Colo.). Animas Surgical Hospital, the first hospital in Colorado to focus on surgical healthcare and diagnostic imaging, opened in December 2004. Considered to be one of America's 100 best hospitals in prostatectomy by HealthGrades, the physician-owned hospital also provides contributions to 11 different local community programs that support healthcare, education, the arts, athletics and more. Based on data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, 97 percent of Animas patients gave their hospital a rating of a 9 or 10 on a scale from 0 to 10 at 97 percent.
Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center (Milwaukee). Aurora St. Luke's, which was founded in 1984, is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. Aurora St. Luke's is home to a renowned cardiology program — its cardiac transplant program is Wisconsin's largest and has been active since the hospital's founding. In 2011, physicians performed the 700th heart transplant at the hospital.
Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center (Phoenix). When it was founded 101 years ago — making it four months older than the state of Arizona — Banner Good Samaritan had 20 patient beds. Today, the 668-bed hospital includes roughly 1,700 physicians and was recently named one of the first 32 Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations in the country by CMS.S. News & World Report also ranked this Magnet-recognized hospital first in the Phoenix metropolitan area in 2011.
Barnes-Jewish Hospital (St. Louis). Barnes-Jewish Hospital is the child of a 1996 merger between Barnes Hospital and The Jewish Hospital of St. Louis. The 1,288-bed teaching hospital is affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In 2011, U.S. News & World Report ranked Barnes-Jewish as an Honor Roll Hospital and first among hospitals in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The Magnet-recognized hospital is building a new $27.5 million cancer center and opened a 12-story outpatient tower in March.
Baystate Medical Center (Springfield, Mass.). The 659-bed Baystate Medical Center is a teaching hospital and affiliate of Tufts University School of Medicine. The hospital has earned Magnet-recognition for nursing excellence and was named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011. In February 2012, Baystate Medical Center opened a portion of its $296 million "Hospital of the Future," a state-of-the-art facility that includes a heart and vascular center, rooftop healing garden and emergency department that is slated to open in November.
Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, Mich.). Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak is a 1,071-bed, Magnet-recognized facility that was named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011. Beaumont Hospital's parent, Beaumont Health System, recently committed $68 million to a new medical school — Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine — to alleviate repercussions of Michigan's impending physician shortage on the hospital.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston). In 1996, New England Deaconess Hospital and Beth Israel Hospital — two institutions dating back to 1896 and 1916, respectively — merged to form this 631-bed hospital. A teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and the chosen hospital for the Boston Red Sox, Beth Israel Deaconess is a 2011 Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital and received a HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. Last year, the hospital announced plans to build a $20 million cancer center.
Boone Hospital Center (Columbia, Mo.). Boone Hospital Center, which opened in 1921, is a 400-bed, Magnet-recognized hospital affiliated with St. Louis-based BJC Healthcare. It was named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011 and also received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. Boone Hospital opened its $89 million patient tower — which features 125 private rooms — ahead of schedule and under budget projections in June 2011.
Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston). With roots dating back to 1832, Brigham and Women's Hospital is home to many medical firsts, such as the world's first successful human organ transplant in 1954. The 793-bed facility is a teaching affiliate of the Harvard Medical School and received the 100 Top Hospitals Everest Award from Thomson Reuters in 2011, which recognizes hospitals with top current performance and the most long-term growth in five years. In 2011, the hospital unveiled a $505 million expansion plan that is expected to be complete by 2016.
Bronson Methodist Hospital (Kalamazoo, Mich.). The flagship of Bronson Healthcare Group, the 404-bed Bronson Methodist Hospital has earned recognition from HealthGrades as a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence and for Outstanding Patient Experience in 2011 and 2012. The hospital was also named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011. Bronson Methodist's $210 million replacement hospital, completed in 2000, has been studied by hundreds of healthcare experts and architects seeking best design practices for healing environments, optimal patient flow and infection control.
Carle Foundation Hospital (Urbana, Ill.). Located in East Central Illinois and dating back to 1918, Carle Foundation Hospital is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and was named one of U.S. News & World Report's Best Regional Hospitals in 2012. The hospital also earned HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2012 and 2011. Last summer, the hospital began construction on its $220 million patient care tower to replace buildings constructed in the 1960s.
Carolinas Medical Center (Charlotte, N.C.). Since its founding in 1940, Carolinas Medical Center has grown to 874 beds and includes the region's only Level I trauma center. Carolinas' Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute is the site of more than 800 open heart surgeries per year, making it one of the largest cardiovascular programs in the Southeast. The hospital was ranked first in the Charlotte metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report in 2011.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles). Cedars-Sinai Medical Center dates back to 1902, when the hospital was known as Kaspare Cohn Hospital and had 12 beds. Today, the non-profit academic medical center includes 1,000 beds and more than 2,000 physicians in every medical specialty. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has earned Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012.
Central DuPage Hospital (Winfield, Ill.). Central DuPage began with 113 beds and 66 physicians when it opened in 1964. Today this 313-bed hospital includes more than 900 physicians, is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and was named a Thompson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011. Central DuPage's cardiac surgery program is affiliated with the Cleveland Clinic, which has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the number one cardiac program in the nation for 16 consecutive years. The partnership allows Central DuPage surgeons to review patient cases and decide on treatment plans with Cleveland Clinic physicians' expertise.
The Christ Hospital (Cincinnati). The Christ Hospital was founded in 1889 by a missionary named Isabella Thoburn, who opened the facility with 10 beds. Today, the 555-bed hospital includes more than 1,000 physicians and has been named one of America's top 50 hospitals for heart care by U.S. News & World Report. HealthGrades has recognized it with the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012, and also named it as one of the 50 best hospitals in the country. The hospital will begin construction on a $265 million hospital expansion, which will include an orthopedic and spine center, in June 2012.
Christiana Hospital (Newark, Del.). Within this 913-bed teaching hospital, staffed by more than 1,400 physicians, is Delaware's only Level I trauma center. In fact, it's the only facility of its kind between Philadelphia and Baltimore. Christiana Hospital has earned Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and also received HealthGrades' Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011. Recently, the hospital was one of the first 250 sites in the country to receive FDA-approval for a heart valve replacement procedure that doesn't require open heart surgery.
Cleveland Clinic. Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by three physicians who, after working in army hospitals during World War I, were impressed by the efficiency of military medicine. The hospital is home to several medical breakthroughs, including the first larynx transplant in 1998. The Magnet-recognized Cleveland Clinic has been ranked first in the nation for cardiology by U.S. News & World Report each year since 1994, and it was ranked fourth in the country overall in 2011. Cleveland Clinic recently released a 50-year design plan with sophisticated architecture and green aesthetics that involves the development of 14 new buildings.
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, N.H.). The only academic medical center in the state, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center dates back to 1797. Hailed by healthcare experts as a model for integration, the medical center is comprised of Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, physician group Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic and Dartmouth Medical School. Dartmouth-Hitchcock, a Magnet-recognized hospital, was selected as one of the country's first 32 Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations by CMS in December.
Downtown Naples (Fla.) Hospital Campus. The Downtown Naples Hospital Campus is a 420-bed hospital with more than 500 physicians. The hospital has been awarded for excellent women's healthcare services by HealthGrades, along with cardiac care excellence. Downtown Naples' Shick Heart Center has been ranked among the top 5 percent of cardiac programs in the nation and has a mortality rate less than half of the national average. The first open heart surgery program in Collier County opened at Downtown Naples Hospital Campus in 1996.
Duke University Hospital (Durham, N.C.). Duke University Hospital's roots trace back to 1930, when it was founded with the intention to be the best medical institution between Baltimore and New Orleans. Today, this 924-bed academic medical center has been ranked as one of the top 10 hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Duke's innovations in community care and partnerships with local clinics caught the eye of President Barack Obama's administration, which used them as models for elements of healthcare reform. In 2012, the hospital will open its new $230 million cancer center.
Edward Hospital (Naperville, Ill.). Soon after Edward Hospital was founded in 1907 with 45 beds, it treated its first patient — a 23-month old named Frederich, who had been kicked by a horse. This hospital, which has since grown to include more than 1,000 physicians and 309 beds, is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011. It was the first hospital in Illinois to offer all private rooms and is launching a $64 million expansion project in 2012.
Emory University Hospital (Atlanta). Emory University Hospital dates back to 1904, when a hospital was founded in an Atlanta mansion that had somehow survived the destruction of the Civil War. U.S. News & World Report ranked the 579-bed hospital as first in the Atlanta metropolitan area in 2011 and as one of the top 10 cardiology programs in the country nine times. Press Ganey has also recognized Emory University Hospital for high patient satisfaction in its emergency department, which it plans to double in size in 2012.
Evanston (Ill.) Hospital. The flagship of the four-hospital NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston Hospital was founded in 1891 with six beds and 12 physicians. Today, the hospital is known as the regional center for high-risk obstetrics, and it also serves as a Level I trauma center. Evanston Hospital was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011. HealthGrades also rated it as a 50 Best Hospital in 2011 and recognized it with the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence the past two years.
Forsyth Medical Center (Winston-Salem, N.C.). The 932-bed Forsyth Medical Center is a Magnet-recognized hospital that won HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2011. The hospital, which became part of 13-hospital Novant Health in 1997, is consistently upgrading its cardiology services. In 2011 alone, Forsyth Medical Center opened its Women's Heart Center and announced plans to affiliate with Cleveland Clinic for cardiac care.
Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, Pa.). Geisinger Medical Center was founded in 1915 by Abigail A. Geisinger, the widow of an iron tycoon who used her fortune to found a regional medical center based on the group practice model. The 404-bed hospital is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence, commonly hailed by experts and policymakers as a model for healthcare reform and integrated care, and received the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospital National Benchmarks Award for overall organizational performance in 2011.
Gundersen Lutheran (La Crosse, Wis.). Gundersen Lutheran is a 325-bed hospital that was born from a 1995 merger between Gundersen Clinic and Lutheran Hospital-LaCrosse. Surgeon Adolf Gundersen, the clinic's founder, was part of the 1917 court decision that ruled hospitals could develop their own criteria for medical staff. The hospital won HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012 and was also named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011.
Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center. Founded in 1888 with 12 beds, Hackensack University Medical Center has since grown to become one of the state's largest inpatient and outpatient facilities with 763 beds and numerous teaching and research programs. In 2011, the Magnet-recognized hospital was named one of the 50 best in the country by HealthGrades and was ranked within the top 10 of the 184 hospitals in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital recently applied to CMS to form a Medicare accountable care organization.
Henrico Doctors' Hospital (Richmond, Va.). The 767-bed Henrico Doctors' Hospital is spread across three campuses, and in November 2011, it celebrated the completion of its five-year, $100 million expansion. HealthGrades named the hospital one of the 50 best in the nation in 2011 and also awarded Henrico Doctors' its Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. Earlier last year, Henrico Doctors' became one of the first sites for minimally invasive da Vinci robotic surgeries in the mid-Atlantic region.
Henry Ford Hospital (Detroit). Henry Ford Hospital is one of four recipients across the country to win the 2011 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital third in the Detroit metropolitan area in 2011. Henry Ford opened its $12 million Innovation Institute last year to coordinate projects and find best practices and new technologies for hospital services, such as knifeless surgery, virtual breast biopsies and blood tests for brain injuries.
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (Newport Beach, Calif.). Founded in 1952, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is a 498-bed hospital that includes more than 1,200 physicians. A Magnet-recognized hospital, Hoag received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. It opened a hybrid cardiac operating room this year and also formed a commercial accountable care organization with Greater Newport Physicians Medical Group and Blue Shield of California.
Hospital for Special Surgery (New York). Hospital for Special Surgery was founded in 1863, making it the oldest orthopedic hospital in the country. The 205-bed hospital was the first in New York City to receive Magnet recognition for nursing excellence, and it has also achieved the statistically lowest infection rates in the state. It also won HealthGrades' Outstanding Patient Experience Award in 2011 and was ranked first in orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report for 2011. The hospital's physicians are team physicians for the New York Giants, New York Mets, New York Knicks and several other local athletic teams.
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia). Since it opened its doors in 1765, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has served as the nucleus of Penn Medicine, which is the country's oldest medical school and includes roughly 2,100 physicians. The Magnet-recognized hospital was ranked within the top 10 hospitals in country overall by U.S. News & World Report for 2011-2012. In November 2011, the hospital announced plans for a $102 million expansion to its Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.
Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital (Indianapolis). Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital has been an influential healthcare hub in its state, as it was the first hospital in the state to have a motorized ambulance, perform a kidney transplant and implant an artificial heart. This Magnet-recognized hospital was ranked first out of 32 hospitals in the Indianapolis metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report in 2011. The hospital is also home to the Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, one of the only clinically-based medical ethics centers in the country.
Inova Fairfax Hospital (Falls Church, Va.). U.S. News & World Report ranked Inova Fairfax Hospital third in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area in 2011. The hospital has earned Magnet-recognition for nursing excellence and was also named a Premier Top Performing Hospital in 2011. The hospital is in the midst of a five-year, $621 million construction project which involves a new 11-story patient tower and separate building for its women's hospital on the campus.
Intermountain Medical Center (Murray, Utah). Intermountain Medical Center is the flagship of the 22-hospital Intermountain Healthcare system. The hospital and its parent have been hailed by President Barack Obama and healthcare experts as the new standard for integrated care. It won HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2012 and 2011 and was ranked second of all hospitals in the Salt Lake City area by U.S. News & World Report.
Jersey Shore University Medical Center (Neptune, N.J.). Jersey Shore University Medical Center's roots stem back to 1904 when it was founded as a 50-bed home for women and children and converted to a hospital one year later. This Magnet-recognized hospital is high-performing in six medical specialties, according to U.S. News & World Report, and has been named in Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work for three consecutive years. Jersey Shore University Medical Center is the teaching hospital for UMDNJ–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore). Johns Hopkins Hospital was founded in 1889 at the bequest of American entrepreneur and philanthropist Johns Hopkins. The 1,051-bed hospital was the first in Maryland to receive Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and U.S. News & World Report has ranked it as the number one hospital in the country consecutively for 21 years. With a $25 million gift, the hospital established a new center to study Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, this March.
Loyola University Medical Center (Maywood, Ill.). The 570-bed Loyola University Medical Center, the teaching hospital of Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine, has been caring for patients under the Jesuit philosophy for roughly 35 years. This Magnet-recognized hospital was ranked nationally in four adult specialties by U.S. News & World Report. It includes a Level 1 trauma center and burn center, and announced plans to open a new pavilion in 2013.
Martin Memorial Hospital (Stuart, Fla.). When Martin Health System was founded in 1939, its flagship hospital had 23 beds and three physicians. Now the hospital has grown to 316 beds and has made strides in its medical accomplishments, receiving awards and recognition for many of its specialties. Martin Memorial Hospital was named to Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals and 50 Top Cardio Hospitals in 2011. It is also a Blue Distinction Center for three specialty services.
Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston). The 907-bed Massachusetts General is the third oldest hospital in the country and in 2011 it celebrated its 200th anniversary. Massachusetts General, home to the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, is consistently publishing major findings and breakthoughs in medicine. Recently, it found that a blood test could accurately diagnose depression. This Magnet-recognized hospital was named one of Thomson Reuters' 100 Top Hospitals in 2011 and recently struck an affiliation agreement with Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass., extending its clinical reach.
Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.). Mayo Clinic was founded in 1889 after a tornado struck Rochester and the town needed a temporary hospital, which was later made permanent. Now, more than one million people from all 50 states, and roughly 150 countries, visit the hospital each year. It's Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011. This year, Mayo Clinic is launching capital projects valued at $600 million.
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (Houston). Founded in 1907, this 906-bed hospital was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital in 2011, and its parent company, Memorial Hermann Healthcare System, was named to Thomson Reuters' Top 15 Health Systems as well. The hospital, which is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, announced it will open a new cancer center in 2012. Following the 2011 Tucson shooting, former U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords spent time here for rehabilitation and therapy.
Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Methodist Dallas Medical Center was opened in 1927 by a group of Methodist ministers and civic leaders as a 100-bed facility. Today, the 515-bed has grown to become one of the top teaching and referral hospitals in the area. The hospital includes more than 250 physicians, a staff that continues to grow in number as the hospital recently added 78 physicians in 2011 alone. Last year was the third year in a row Methodist Dallas Medical Center experienced its strongest financial performance in its history.
The Methodist Hospital (Houston). The Methodist Hospital, the flagship hospital of the Methodist Hospital System in Houston, has consistently been recognized for its delivery of care. This Magnet-recognized hospital was ranked first by U.S. News & World Report in Houston metro area in 2010-2011 and was awarded the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence in 2011 and 2012. Open since 1919, The Methodist Hospital is also a teaching hospital affiliated with Weill Medical College of Cornell University.
Montefiore Medical Center (New York City). Montefiore was founded in 1884 by a group of philanthropic leaders in New York's Jewish community. The teaching hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore has made great strides in care delivery and medical innovation: It established one of the country's first hospital-based social work departments in 1905 and opened the nation's first headache unit in 1945. U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital 6th in the New York metropolitan area. Montefiore was selected by CMS to participate in the 2012 Pioneer Accountable Care Organization program.
Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City). Mount Sinai Hospital, a 1,171-bed teaching facility in New York City, has delivered healthcare services since 1852. The hospital was recently ranked third in the New York area by U.S. News & World Report and 16th of all hospitals in country, earning the hospital Honor Roll Status. In addition to being named one of the state's safest hospitals by the Niagara Health Quality Coalition, Mount Sinai also boasts a reputable school of medicine, which was ranked 2nd out of 126 medical schools nationwide by U.S. News & World Report in 2010.
Morton Plant Hospital (Clearwater, Fla.). Founded in 1916, the 687-bed Morton Plant Hospital delivers healthcare in 50 specialties, with centers of excellence for cardiology, oncology, neurosciences, women's services and orthopedics. Morton Plant Hospital is also the only hospital to be recognized as one of Thomson Reuters' 50 Top Hospitals for cardiac care in 2011 for the 13th straight year.
Munson Medical Center (Traverse City, Mich.). Munson Medical Center was the first general hospital in Northern Michigan after James Decker Munson, MD, a well-known humanitarian and neurologist, donated a boarding house for use as a hospital in 1915. The 391-bed, Magnet-designated hospital is currently the largest hospital in the region and performed the area's first open-heart surgery in 1990. MMC, which also has been a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital 13 times and has earned several HealthGrades awards over the past two years, is also the only hospital in Northern Michigan to house a neonatal intensive care unit and inpatient behavioral health services.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (New York City). Heralded as the number one hospital in New York City and nationally ranked in 15 adult specialties and 10 pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report, few hospitals compare to NewYork-Presbyterian, the second-oldest hospital in the United States. It was founded in 1771 as The New York Hospital — granted as a royal charter from King George III — and merged with The Presbyterian Hospital in 1998 to create one of the largest academic medical institutions in the country and world. NewYork-Presbyterian, which is partnered with the Weill Cornell Medical College, holds a slew of medical firsts, including the first successful heart transplant in a child and the first hospital to have a female professor of clinical medicine.
Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago). Centered in one of the great hubs of hospital healthcare in the United States, Northwestern Memorial Hospital serves as the teaching hospital for the renowned Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The Magnet hospital was the sole recipient of the prestigious National Quality Award in 2011, presented by the National Committee for Quality Health Care. Northwestern Memorial has also been active in construction and research trials in the past year: It opened a new, 36-bed cardiology wing in its Galter Pavilion, began presenting plans to construct a 25-story, $344 million medical office building, and partnered with the Northern Illinois Proton Treatment Center to study nuclear medicine and proton beam therapy.
NYU Langone Medical Center (New York City). NYU Langone Medical Center is one of the nation's premier centers for excellence in healthcare, biomedical research and medical education. It serves as the teaching hospital for the NYU School of Medicine and publishes numerous medical findings year-round, such as when it released a 62-page report on quality and patient safety efforts in its orthopedics department this past February. Last September, NYU Langone opened the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health, which is designed to provide comprehensive, patient-centered primary and specialty care to women and to empower them to manage their health through patient education.
Ochsner Medical Center (New Orleans). A 473-bed, Magnet-designated hospital, Ochsner Medical Center is at the forefront of healthcare in the New Orleans region. It offers more than 110 different, specific medical services — ranging from cervical cancer and sports medicine to maternal fetal medicine and parathyroid gland surgery. Ochsner is also devoted to community outreach and preventive care, offering several different community outreach programs. Most famous is its "Change the Kids, Change the Future" initiative, which looks to improve the choices and behaviors of local children and their families through exercise, nutrition and the promotion of preventive health.
Paoli (Pa.) Hospital. A 157-bed facility, Paoli Hospital is Magnet recognized, and its cancer center is one of only 50 research programs in the country designated as a Community Clinical Oncology Program by the National Cancer Institute. In 2009 and 2010, Paoli Hospital earned the Premier Award for Quality, indicating clinical excellence and operational efficiency, and it was only one of 21 hospitals to earn this designation. Paoli Hospital is also a vanguard for creating a wellness culture by offering physical activity support, increasing healthy eating options at work and promoting wellness initiatives to its employees.
Presbyterian Hospital (Charlotte, N.C.). The 521-bed Presbyterian Hospital is the flagship facility of Novant Health. The hospital started off as a 20-bed facility with a barbershop, fruit stand and saloon underneath it in 1903, and now Presbyterian stands as one of the eminent healthcare institutions in North Carolina. Presbyterian Hospital received the 2011 President's Award and 55 other awards from Professional Research Consultants, a national healthcare marketing firm that conducts satisfaction surveys for the hospital. After two years of construction, Presbyterian completed a new wing last September that includes pediatric emergency services, seven operating rooms designed by Presbyterian surgeons and OR staff, and a pharmacy.
Providence Hospital (Southfield, Mich.). For nine straight years, Thomson Reuters has named Providence Hospital a Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospital, a designation that only two other institutions have achieved. Providence was also recognized by the MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety and Quality for making Michigan a leader in implementing evidenced-based practices and making healthcare safer. Medical breakthroughs permeate Providence's history, as it was the first hospital in the United States to treat patients in an aneurysm coil study, and Providence surgeons performed the area's first FDA-approved brain stent procedure.
Providence Regional Medical Center (Everett, Wash.). The Sisters of Providence had a vision for healthcare in the Northwest, as they purchased the Monte Cristo Hotel for $50,000 in 1905, eventually turning it into the 75-bed Providence Hospital — which is now known as Providence Regional Medical Center. Since then, PRMC has grown into a 372-bed, award-winning facility that serves patients from a five-county region. Last June, PRMC opened its new $500 million medical tower. The 12-story Marshall and Katherine Cymbaluk Medical Tower features 240 patient beds and the latest medical and diagnostic imaging equipment.
Regional Hospital of Scranton (Pa.). For more than a century, Regional Hospital of Scranton has provided healthcare to the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Regional Hospital has been a leader in the region when it comes to cardiac care over the past 40 years. In 1965, it established the area's first coronary care unit, and it also performed the region's first open heart surgery. HealthGrades has taken notice of Regional Hospital's quality healthcare, naming it one of America's 50 Best Hospitals and bestowing it with the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the past three years. Last year, the 198-bed hospital became part of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, and now Regional Hospital is part of CHS' regional healthcare system, Commonwealth Health.
Rex Hospital (Raleigh, N.C.). Part of UNC Health Care, the 665-bed Rex Hospital is no stranger to innovation in the region and state. Rex Hospital was the first in the region to receive Magnet recognition, the first in the area to implement sentinel node procedures for breast cancer, the first regional bariatric center of excellence and more. More than 1,100 physicians are on the Rex Healthcare medical staff, and this year, the hospital received the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and 12 other service line excellence awards from HealthGrades.
Riverside Medical Center (Kankakee, Ill.). Cardiology, cancer, neurosciences, orthopedics, women's health — Riverside Medical Center offers a wide array of medical and surgical services and at a high quality. A 2011 Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital, Magnet hospital and recipient of four 2012 HealthGrades awards, Riverside Medical Center was the first in the Kankakee area for nine different medical achievements, such as cardiac drug-eluting stents. The hospital opened a $60 million addition in November, which included 13 operating rooms.
Robert Packer Hospital (Sayre, Pa.). As the first hospital established within its service area, Robert Packer Hospital has earned a reputation for high-quality care at the state and national level. In 2011, it was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital and ranked number one overall in the state of Pennsylvania for medical excellence, joint replacement and overall hospital care by CareChex. Robert Packer's entire cardiology center is devoted to all types of aortic disease. The hospital is the only Level II trauma center in the region and is the leading provider of orthopedic trauma surgery between Danville, Pa., and Rochester, N.Y.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick, N.J.). Clinical quality and medical innovation are the standard at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, as Harvard University researchers (in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund) identified RWJUH as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. The Cardiovascular Center of Excellence at the Magnet-designated hospital was recently selected to be one of the first sites in the nation to offer transcatheter aortic valve replacement since the procedure received FDA approval. Last year, RWJUH opened its new 13,000-square-foot Ambulatory Surgical Pavilion, and this past February, it announced it would explore a partnership with Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, N.J.
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Los Angeles). In terms of great hospitals on the West Coast, none can say what Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center can, as it has been ranked the "Best in West" for 22 straight years by U.S. News & World Report. A Magnet hospital, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center leads some of the most innovative hospital services in the nation. In March 2011, surgeons performed the first hand transplant in the Western United States in a procedure that took a 17-member team nearly 15 hours to complete. In total, UCLA physicians and researchers found nearly 60 different medical breakthroughs across all spectrums of healthcare over the last two years.
Rush University Medical Center (Chicago). Considered to be one of the top three hospitals in Chicago by U.S. News & World Report, Rush University Medical Center underwent a massive change this past January when it opened its $654 million state-of-the-art hospital tower. The new hospital has many unique designs, such as its butterfly shape, which puts nurses closer to their patients throughout the unit rather than working from conventional, centralized nursing stations. The new hospital also has operating room-quality air in all patient care areas and is Chicago's first green, full-service hospital. Rush — a Magnet-designated hospital known for orthopedics, neurosurgery, urology and several other services — also conducts some of the most innovative clinical research trials in the country. It received more than $58 million from the National Institutes of Health in 2011 — a new record for the hospital.
Russell Medical Center (Alexander City, Ala.). Russell Medical Center, founded by Benjamin Russell, first opened its doors in 1923 to provide healthcare for employees of the Russell Manufacturing Company and the residents of Alexander City, Ala., and now the 75-bed hospital has grown just as much as the city, treating patients all around the area just north of Alabama's capital. In 2011, Russell was named a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital and was also an Everest Award winner for current performance and fastest long-term improvement over five years. Russell formed a joint venture with the University of Alabama at Birmingham this past February to expand its oncology services and use UAB Medicine's best practices in cancer care.
Saint Alexius Medical Center (Bismarck, N.D.). Known for its several centers of excellence, including neuroscience and cancer care, Saint Alexius Medical Center has remained active in its pursuit to provide leading healthcare in the North Dakota capital. Over the past year, Saint Alexius announced a management agreement with the Wishek (N.D.) Hospital and Clinic Association and affiliated with McKenzie County Healthcare Systems of Watford City, N.D., advising McKenzie on facility construction plans as well as physician recruitment. Last June, the hospital also purchased a building in Bismarck with plans to turn part of it into a new 60,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center, expected to open in summer 2013.
Saint Thomas Hospital (Nashville, Tenn.). Roughly 113 years ago, Saint Thomas Hospital started as a small initiative to provide healthcare around Nashville. Today, Saint Thomas Hospital provides adult specialty healthcare to the more than 2 million residents of Middle Tennessee, Southwestern Kentucky and Northern Alabama. A 2011 Top 100 Hospital by Thomson Reuters and a recipient of 10 different awards from HealthGrades between 2009 and 2012, Saint Thomas Hospital became the first in the state this past February to open two hybrid operating rooms. It is only the third in the Eastern United States, after Johns Hopkins and The Cleveland Clinic.
Sanford USD Medical Center (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Sanford USD Medical Center is the largest hospital in South Dakota with 545 beds and is a teaching hospital for the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Sanford Research/USD is conducting a new clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of a drug treatment on patients receiving radiation and chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. A $75 million Sanford Heart Hospital is also attached to the main facility and began a staggered opening this past March.
Schneck Medical Center (Seymour, Ind.). Schneck Medical Center is a 100-bed, government-owned hospital in a small Indiana town, but it has proven its quality healthcare delivery over the past several years. Schneck is one of four 2011 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipients, making it the first organization in Indiana to win the award. In addition, the Magnet-designated hospital received the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award for three straight years.
Scripps Green Hospital (La Jolla, Calif.). Scripps Green Hospital has served the La Jolla and greater San Diego communities since 1977. Scripps Green had San Diego's first liver transplant program, and it was one of the nation's first hospitals to provide stem cell transplants. The Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education has advanced the field of orthopedics and developed innovative programs to share best practices. Also, the cardiology program of Scripps Green will soon join Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla (Calif.), its sister hospital, to form the Scripps Cardiovascular Institute. The new entity is expected to be complete by 2015 and will be the largest heart care provider in the region.
Shands at the University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.). As the primary teaching hospital for the University of Florida, Shands at UF continues to be one of the most comprehensive hospitals in the area and a leading referral medical center in the Southeast. The Magnet-designated hospital treats patients from every county in the state and at a high quality, as U.S. News & World Report ranked Shands at UF in the top 50 for seven adult specialties and six pediatric specialties. Shands at UF is also renowned for its organizational culture of service and operational excellence, as it was a Studer Group Firestarter hospital in 2008.
Sharp Memorial Hospital (San Diego). The new Sharp Memorial Hospital opened in January 2009, and the 368-bed Magnet hospital was designed to house San Diego's largest and most modern emergency department and 24-hour trauma center. Sharp Memorial was designated as a "Patient-Centered Hospital" by Planetree in 2010, and in 2007, the hospital's parent system — Sharp HealthCare — received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.
Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital is the flagship hospital of Spectrum Health, a Thomson Reuters top 10 health system. The Magnet hospital's history spans several decades and includes several awards, including a Practice Greenhealth Partner for Change with Distinction Award for sustainability and several 2012 HealthGrades awards, including the America's 100 Best Hospitals Award.
St. Elizabeth Edgewood (Ky.). For the past 150 years, St. Elizabeth Edgewood's parent organization, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, has provided healthcare to some of the neediest people in the greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region. St. Elizabeth Edgewood was the region's first Magnet hospital, and it has also been a Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital for the past five years. HealthGrades awarded the hospital several 2012 awards, including the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and recognition for excellence in spine surgery, critical care and several other service lines.
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital (Houston). Cardiovascular medical milestones run a plenty at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, one of the top cardiology and cardiovascular hospitals in the country. The first successful heart transplantation in the United States, the first artificial heart implantation in the world and the first laser angioplasty procedure are only some of those feats. This year, St. Luke's Texas Heart Institute formed an affiliation with Covenant Heart and Vascular Institute in Lubbock, Texas, to collaborate on cardiovascular care. Under the affiliation, THI and CHVI will transition and coordinate patients with complex thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms, patients in need of ventricular assist devices and patients in need of heart and lung transplants.
St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital. At the core of St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital is its five main centers of excellence: orthopedics, spine, cardiovascular, neuroscience and cancer care. St. Vincent Indianapolis has a bevy of accolades from HealthGrades, including excellence awards in cardiac care, coronary intervention, critical care, gastrointestinal care, neurosciences, spine surgery and stroke care. The hospital also received the 2012 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence and the 2011 Outstanding Patient Experience Award. St. Vincent's Heart Center of Indiana recently partnered on cardiology services with two other Indiana hospitals to benefit residents multiple Indianapolis area counties.
Stanford Hospital & Clinics (Palo Alto, Calif.). Stanford Hospital & Clinics is recognized worldwide for its clinical care, with five major centers of excellence: cancer, cardiology, neurosciences, orthopedic services and transplantation. Stanford was the site of the first successful adult human heart transplant in the country and the first combined heart-lung transplant in the world, in addition to a multitude of other medical firsts. Ranked first in San Jose, Calif., by U.S. News & World Report and nationally ranked in 14 adult specialties, Stanford also recently began a new clinical neurogentics oncology program in March and opened its Brain Tumor Center last September.
Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Tampa General Hospital is one of the largest hospitals in Florida, licensed for 1,018 acute-care beds, and serves as the primary teaching affiliate of the University of South Florida College of Medicine. Tampa General, which has Magnet recognition and is the region's primary safety-net hospital, is the only Level I trauma center in West Central Florida and contains the 10th busiest transplant program in the nation. In addition, Tampa General is the home to several medical breakthroughs, including the first successful heart transplant in Florida, which was performed in 1985.
Texas Orthopedic Hospital (Houston). When it comes to physician-owned hospitals, few are more highly ranked than Texas Orthopedic Hospital. Known for its excellence in joint replacement, spine surgery and total knee replacements, the 49-bed hospital has been ranked as one of the top 50 hospitals in the country in orthopedics from 2009 to 2011, according to U.S. News & World Report. Last September, The Joint Commission named Texas Orthopedic as one of the top performers in using evidence-based care processes to improve patient outcomes, and its patient satisfaction scores based on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems ranked among the best in the Houston area.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (Philadelphia). With Blue Distinction Center status for five different specialties and the first to establish an adult celiac center in Philadelphia, the scope of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's healthcare impact is far-reaching in the City of Brotherly Love. The 969-bed Magnet facility is partnered with some of the most experienced orthopedic experts in the country at the Rothman Institute and The Philadelphia Hand Center. This month, Jefferson became the first hospital in the region to perform sialendoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure in which stones are surgically removed from the salivary gland.
UCSF Medical Center (San Francisco). Considered to be the number one hospital in the San Francisco area by U.S. News & World Report, UCSF Medical Center is the second largest recipient nationwide of grants from the National Institutes of Health. In a groundbreaking effort, UCSF Medical Center's heart failure program helped lower readmissions by 30 percent by providing patients with information and support for post-discharge. CEO Mark Laret was elected to serve as chair of the board for the Association of American Medical Colleges this past November, and his term will run until November 2012. Mr. Laret is also spearheading plans to build a $1.5 billion UCSF hospital complex in the Mission Bay area of San Francisco, which is expected to open in 2014.
University of Arizona Medical Center (Tucson, Ariz.). On Jan. 8, 2011, the University of Arizona Medical Center trauma team took on one of the most daunting and time-sensitive cases at the time, as physicians treated and saved the lives of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz., who has since resigned) and others during the 2011 Tucson shooting. UAMC, which has the only Level I trauma center in Southern Arizona, has several instances of innovative care. The hospital has pioneered new treatments for patients with advanced abdominal cancer, and an orthopedic surgeon at the hospital also designed the world's first artificial wrist in 1976. Almost 20 years ago, UAMC also became one of the first hospitals to use stereotactic radiosurgery to destroy a tumor surrounding the spine.
University of Chicago Medical Center. The University of Chicago Medical Center plays home to some of the most advanced care and established history in the advancement of medicine. UCMC and University of Chicago Medicine have provided medical breakthroughs on almost every front, including hormone therapy for cancer, diabetes treatment, the introduction of the gastroscope, public health studies, organ transplantation and more. UCMC is more than 85 percent complete with its 10-story "hospital for the future," which will contain 240 inpatient rooms and a hub for complex specialty care dealing with cancer, gastrointestinal disease, neuroscience, advanced surgery and high-tech medical imaging. Last June, the American Medical Association named former UCMC CEO James Madara, MD, as its executive vice president and CEO.
University of Colorado Hospital (Aurora, Colo.). Clinical care at the University of Colorado Hospital has been recognized as some of the most advanced in both the Western United States and the country as a whole. UCH performed world's first liver transplant and was also the first in the country to conduct human cell cloning to study genetics and cancer. The Magnet-designated hospital also contains the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the Rocky Mountain region, and two UCH physicians were recently named Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators to study the many areas of biomedical research. UCH completed a joint operating agreement with Poudre Valley Health System in Fort Collins, Colo., this past February, creating the University of Colorado Health.
University Hospital (Ann Arbor, Mich.). University Hospital, part of the University of Michigan Health System, is one of the top hospitals in the Detroit metro area and is one of the first hospitals to be part of the CMS' Pioneer Accountable Care Organization program. University Hospital, the first university-owned medical facility in the United States, is home to several medical firsts, including the world's first successful lung removal. University Hospital's parent system finalized an affiliation agreement with Novi, Mich.-based Trinity Health this March, and the two systems will collaborate on inpatient hospital capacity, high-complexity care for seriously ill patients and other services.
University Hospitals Case Medical Center (Cleveland). A Magnet-recognized hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center is one of the top facilities in Cleveland. The Joint Commission and the Leapfrog Group have recognized UH Case Medical Center among the nation's top performers on key quality measures and patient outcomes last year. The opening of the Center for Emergency Medicine last July completed UH's $1.2 billion fundraising and construction project.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (Iowa City, Iowa). The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is a focal point in the Midwest for numerous procedures and treatments. The Magnet hospital's Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only cancer center in Iowa designated as "comprehensive" by the National Cancer Institute. UIHC is one of the most active major transplant centers in the country — it performed more than 515 organ and tissue transplants in fiscal year 2011. UIHC is preparing to open a new $12 million cancer clinic, which will include 37 exam rooms and space for research.
University of Kansas Hospital (Kansas City, Kan.). Last year, the University of Kansas Hospital received the University HealthSystems Consortium Quality Leadership Award, which recognizes top performance in delivering high-quality care among academic medical centers. In addition, the hospital earned six Beacon Awards for Critical Care Excellence in 2010 — more than any other hospital in the United States that year. In March 2011, KU Hospital partnered with U.S. Oncology's Kansas City Cancer Center to create an outpatient cancer care organization, and it also opened its new Adelaide C. Ward Women's Heart Health Center this March.
University of Maryland Medical Center (Baltimore). Within the Baltimore area, Maryland and the country as a whole, the University of Maryland Medical Center has made a lasting imprint in how it delivers quality care. UMMC, which is also one of the most environmentally advanced and responsible organizations as ranked by Practice Greenhealth, was the first institution in the world to receive the Outstanding Facility Achievement Award in Perioperative Nursing from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses. Last June, UMMC's surgical intensive care unit sustained a rate of zero central line-associated bloodstream infections for a 25-week period, mainly due to the dedication and oversight of appointed infection control nurses.
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview (Minneapolis). The teaching hospital of the University of Minnesota Medical School, this 1,700-bed hospital has been home to many medical milestones, such as world's first open heart surgery in 1952. UM Medical Center is Magnet-recognized for nursing excellence and includes roughly 1,600 physicians. U.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital first in the Minneapolis metropolitan area in 2011. The hospital was recently recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services for its work in heart and kidney transplantation, an honor based on one-year post-transplant survival rates of recipients.
University of Virginia Medical Center (Charlottesville, Va.). The University of Virginia Medical Center today is vastly different from when it first started to provide patient care and medical education in 1825. UVA Medical Center started as a dispensary and surgery center until 1901, when it finally became a 25-bed hospital with three operating rooms. Now, the UVA Medical Center is 570 beds, has a Level I trauma center and encompasses nationally recognized cancer and heart centers. UVA researchers are also on the forefront of medical advances. This year, they performed the first two stem cell transplants in Virginia by using non-embryonic stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
University of Washington Medical Center (Seattle). Ranked as the top hospital in the Seattle area by U.S. News & World Report, the University of Washington Medical Center has won the Environmental Leadership Circle Award for the past five years from Practice Greenhealth, proving UW Medical Center is a vanguard for both hospital sustainability and top environmental practices in the delivery of healthcare. UW Medical Center physicians established the world's first multidisciplinary pain center and spearheaded the U.S. portion of a World Health Organization pilot project, concluding complications from surgery dropped significantly when medical teams use surgical checklists. The Magnet-designated hospital also broke ground on plans for a larger neonatal intensive care unit, which is expected to open this year.
University of Wisconsin Hospital (Madison, Wis.). The University of Wisconsin Hospital, part of UW Health and the UW Hospital and Clinics, is lauded for several key hospital specialties, including cardiology, oncology and neurosciences. The Heart and Vascular Care program has been nationally ranked by both Thomson Reuters and the University HealthSystem Consortium, and the Magnet hospital has also been the site for many research developments and medical firsts. UW spine medicine specialists also performed the first minimally invasive spinal fusion surgery in the world in 1993, and more recently, UW physicians demonstrated that virtual colonoscopy is as effective as conventional colonoscopy in routine screening for colon cancer.
UPMC Presbyterian (Pittsburgh). UPMC Presbyterian is the 1,601-bed flagship institution of the UPMC health system. In 2010, UPMC Presbyterian was one of the top grossing hospitals in America, recording more than $10.18 billion in total patient revenue. The hospital, which is physically connected to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is a renowned center for organ transplantation and a recognized leader in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, critical care medicine, trauma services and neurosurgery. UPMC Presbyterian also is designated as a Level I trauma center and operates around the world in Italy, Ireland and Qatar.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, Tenn.). When it comes to academic medical centers, few in the country are as highly esteemed as the Magnet-designated Vanderbilt University Medical Center. A former Studer Group Firestarter hospital, VUMC is one of the top medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, receiving more than $445 million for a slew of research initiatives for fiscal year 2010. This past September, VUMC affiliated with three other Tennessee hospitals — Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, NorthCrest Medical Center in Springfield and Williamson Medical Center in Franklin — to improve the cost-effectiveness of patient care through regional partnerships.
Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center (Richmond, Va.). The 865-bed VCU Medical Center is a regional referral center for the state and is the region's only Level I trauma center. The Magnet-designated hospital also encompasses the VCU Massey Cancer Center, which was designated by the National Cancer Institute in 1974 and has kept that recognition since. Cardiologists at the VCU Pauley Heart Center have focused their research efforts on novel strategies for protecting the heart from injuries associated with cardiac ischemia. The National Association for Female Executives also named VCU Medical Center's parent organization, VCU Health System, as a top 10 non-profit organization for executive women.
Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio). This past February, The Ohio State University Medical Center was renamed Wexner Medical Center at The Ohio State University in honor of benefactor Leslie H. Wexner. Although the Magnet hospital has taken on a new name, it still performs as one of the top organizations in the country. The Wexner Medical Center is one of only five U.S. academic medical centers recognized as a "Top Performer" by the University HealthSystem Consortium. In addition, the hospital has made several medical research breakthroughs in the study of breast cancer treatment, gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, vascular health and more.
Winchester (Mass.) Hospital. In 2011, Winchester Hospital received a slew of awards for its quality care, including the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award and the HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award. Winchester Hospital was also a 2011 Thomson Reuters Top 100 Hospital and earned Magnet designation for nursing excellence. Last May, the hospital broke ground on a new ambulatory surgery center to provide services in orthopedics, urology, gynecology, otolaryngology and other outpatient surgeries.
Yale-New Haven (Conn.) Hospital. Yale-New Haven Hospital, one of the oldest hospitals in the country and the first in the state of Connecticut, is the 966-bed teaching facility of the Yale School of Medicine. Yale-New Haven has a long list of medical firsts, including the first use of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment in the United States and the first development of an artificial heart pump, which is now displayed at the Smithsonian. The Magnet-designated hospital signed an agreement with Yale University and the University College of London this past October in a global effort to improve the human condition through translational medicine. In September, the hospital announced plans to merge with Hospital of Saint Raphael, also in New Haven, to create a hospital with two campuses. The proposed deal would create the state's largest hospital.