Annual list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health
United Hospital Center (UHC) has been named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list in the teaching hospital category. This is the second time that UHC has been recognized with this honor as one of the top performing teaching hospital in the U.S. The annual list was published by Fortune.
IBM Watson Health® has identified the top hospitals from a rigorous evaluation of 3,134 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals in the U.S. The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical 
outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health. IBM Watson Health established the list to help identify best practices that may help other healthcare organizations achieve consistent, balanced, and sustainable high performance.
“UHC was ranked statistically better than expected in several of the measured categories and the only hospital in West Virginia ranked a 100 Top Hospital,” said Dr. Mark Povroznik, vice president of Quality at UHC. “This national designation, as a top 100 hospital, is further validation concerning the quality of care that UHC provides for West Virginians and those beyond its borders. This is why we see some patients driving more than two hours to seek care at our facility.”
This recognition demonstrates United Hospital Center’s ongoing commitment to prioritize patient-centered care, particularly during this very disruptive and challenging time. According to IBM Watson Health, as compared to similar hospitals, the hospitals included on the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list had better results on key clinical and operational performance indicators. These include survival rates, patient complications, healthcare associated infections, 30-day mortality and 30-day hospital-wide readmission rates, length of stay, throughput in emergency rooms, inpatient expenses, profitability, and ratings from patients.
“Hospitals, health systems and the dedicated clinicians and staff who work at these organizations have emerged as true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are grateful to be able to recognize these extraordinary leaders at this time,” said Kyu Rhee, M.D., M.P.P., Vice President and Chief Health Officer, IBM Watson Health. “From small community hospitals to major teaching hospitals, organizations on this list demonstrate a relentless commitment to high value, patient-centered care and innovation. It is clear that the COVID-19 crisis will be a catalyst for reinvention, and we believe these top performing hospitals are positioned to emerge stronger and smarter out of this crisis.”
“UHC is honored to be ranked nationally as a 100 Top Hospital for a second time,” said Mike Tillman, CEO at UHC. “We are committed to providing care that rivals what is available nationally, while dedicated to delivering better outcomes and patient satisfaction.”
For more information, visit http://www.100tophospitals.com/.
—WVU Medicine—
About United Hospital Center
United Hospital Center is the result of a merger between St. Mary’s and Union Protestant hospitals in 1970. This bold move provides north central West Virginia with a regional community hospital that offers a vast array of services. The new UHC opened in 2010 and is located along I-79 in Bridgeport. The 692,000 square foot structure rises eight stories. It is designed around the environment with the patient, family, staff, and community in mind—which includes enhanced patient privacy, a high level of technology integration, and improved access to care. The acute care facility has 292 private inpatient rooms and a medical staff that consist of more than 140 primary care and specialty physicians. UHC employs more than 2,000 Associates and is a member West Virginia University Health System. For more information about United Hospital Center, please visit uhcwv.org.
About the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals® List
The Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list is determined using independent and objective research to analyze hospital performance. Organizations do not apply or pay for this honor or pay to promote their award. Award-winning hospitals and health systems serve as a model of excellence for the industry.
About IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals® Program
The IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals Program’s annual studies result in the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list and IBM Watson Health 15 Top Health Systems list. Organizations do not apply or pay for this honor or pay to promote their award. Award-winning hospitals and health systems serve as a model of excellence for the industry. Visit http://www.100tophospitals.com/ for more information.
About IBM Watson Health
IBM Watson Health is a data, analytics, and technology partner for the health industry. Supported by the innovation of IBM and intelligence of Watson, we are committed to helping build smarter health ecosystems. Through the combination of our deep industry expertise in health, data and analytics, actionable insights, and reputation for security and trust, Watson Health is working together with its clients and partners to help them achieve simpler processes, better care insights, faster breakthroughs, and improved experiences for people around the world. Learn more at ibm.com/watson/health.