Greensburg, IN — Decatur County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) 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 DCMH is in the top 100 of 4,542 U.S. hospitals offering emergency care services.
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
● Time from Admission to a Room
● Percent of Emergency Patients Who Left Without Being Seen
Criteria for selecting DCMH as one of America’s Best 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. Hospitals received additional credit if they have an accredited trauma center.
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.
