BHS Receives Women's Choice Award® for Emergency Care

Butler Health System has been named a recipient of the Women’s Choice Award® (WCA) as America’s Best Hospitals for Emergency Care for a second consecutive year. This coveted credential places Butler Health Systemin the top three percent for Emergency care, which was achieved by 373 hospitals, less than 10% of the 3,800 emergency rooms that report data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

Nationwide, Emergency Services (ES) account for more than 125 million hospital visits annually, and all clinicians must have expertise in caring for patients across their life span, often when their healthcare needs are urgent and unplanned. Unlike other hospital departments that interact with the same patient and families for an extended period, ES staffs typically have one patient encounter, often when anxiety and fear is at its peak.

“The Women’s Choice Award® seal delivers a powerful message to women, offering them the peace of mind that the recipient is clinically excellent and highly responsive to the patient’s experience," notes Sharyn S Lee, RN, MS, FACEHP, President of the WCA Healthcare Division. “Awarded Emergency Services Departments must achieve high rankings on eight emergency measures including patient recommendation scores, which is unlike any other healthcare credential recognizing providers today.”

Hospitals earning the Emergency Care Award consistently rank in the top 25 percent of the 3,800 hospitals reporting on their emergency department’s performance to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The eight measures CMS publicly reports relate primarily to the amount of time taken in the ER such as time for diagnosis, medication, and admission to the hospital, and are weighted according to the priorities of women surveyed.

Of the eight measures reported by emergency departments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), women rate “door to diagnostic time” or in other words, “door to doctor,” as the most important criteria when selecting an emergency room. The least important reported measure is the percentage of patients who left the emergency department before being seen.

“Providing the best in Emergency Care is the combined effort of hospitals, physicians, nurses and EMS Practitioners and we commend those recognized for striving for extraordinary care,” remarked Conrad “Chuck” Kearns, President of the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, serving EMS Practitioners in 50 countries around the world.

A hospital can be eliminated from the award if they fall outside the 25^th percentile for two or more of the eight measures, depending on their importance. The award is also limited to those hospitals with a solid recommendation on Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems.

“We have found that recommendations are an important consideration used by women in selecting a hospital for themselves and their family. By helping women know which hospitals in their area provide the best critical care, we are able to help them make better decisions, especially when it comes to emergency situations, “said Delia Passi, CEO & Founder of Women’s Choice Award®.

Year after year, the Women’s Choice Award® is the only credential that identifies the nation’s best healthcare institutions by measuring against the needs and preferences of women, when it comes to treatment and a quality hospital experience. This credential signifies Butler Health System’s commitment and passion towards an extraordinary healthcare experience for women and all patients.

ABOUT THE WOMEN’S CHOICE AWARD®

The Women’s Choice Award sets the standard for helping women make smarter choices by collectively identifying the brands, products, and services most recommended and trusted by women - those that deliver a customer experience worthy of their recommendation. Awards are based on surveys of thousands of women, as well as research conducted in partnership with theWharton School of the University of Pennsylvania on what drives the consumer experience for women versus men. As the leading advocate for female consumers, WomenCertified Inc., home of the Women’s Choice Award, created the first national award based on the ratings and preferences of women to provide them with a collective voice. Women can make their preferences heard and be part of the mission toward a million voices strong by visiting the Women’s Choice Award’s official website and joining the network.

For more information, contact Connie Downs