MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals reached No. 18, its highest-ever ranking, in the annual University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Quality Leadership Awards.
The rankings are determined by UHC’s Quality and Accountability Study, which measures excellence in delivering high-quality care. The study was designed by UHC to serve as a model to help academic medical centers identify structures and processes associated with high performance in quality and safety across patient populations. UHC reviews data submitted from each institution, including records of patient mortality, patient safety, effectiveness of care, efficiency of care, patient satisfaction, and patient equity.
WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals was categorized with 102 of the largest teaching hospitals in the U.S. It was ranked No. 37 in last year’s study.
“Unlike many top performer lists, this one requires participants to submit patient data for evaluation and comparison,” Frank Briggs, vice president and chief quality officer, said. “The UHC rankings do not account for reputation or surveys completed by medical professionals.”
The rankings come during a period of unprecedented growth at WVU Medicine.
“This ranking is certainly good news but even better is the opportunity and challenge we have ahead of us – improving the health of the citizens of West Virginia,” Albert Wright, president of WVU Medicine–WVU Hospitals, said. “With our recent growth, we’re answering a call from people throughout the region who need the kind of top-quality care we offer.”
Briggs said WVU Medicine’s array of providers – physicians, nurses, and others – are at the root of its success.
“Each day, it seems we are breaking another census record as patients continue to select us for their medical care,” Briggs said. “During these busy times, it’s easy to forget to recognize the team ultimately responsible for providing outstanding care and the reason patients seek out our care – each and every one of our care providers.
“Our reputation for medical excellence would not be possible without their commitment to our patients.”