NEWBERRY — Newberry Hospital has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for outpatient experience and obstetrics by the Women’s Choice Awards.

Hospitals aiming to provide the most appropriate and value-based care along with advances in technology such as minimally invasive techniques have shifted many patient cases to outpatient settings. As a result, hospitals have made significant strides in providing increased customer service to improve the outpatient experience.

“Overnight stays in the hospital can be very stressful and costly. With the advancement of technology, hospitals are now able to offer more procedures on an outpatient basis which is much more convenient, more affordable and less stressful,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “Women have demanding lifestyles with over 70% of moms employed so making it easy for her to find hospitals that provide the best outpatient experience helps simplify her life.”

The methodology used to select Newberry Hospital for Outpatient Experience is exclusive in that it evaluates patient satisfaction measures with a hospital visit based on the criteria in the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Survey (OAS-CAHPS). The evaluation process is the only national list that focuses on the opinion of females. It is the only award recognizing excellence in outpatient satisfaction based on robust criteria that considers the patient experience and clinical excellence.

To receive the award, hospitals must first be accredited by the Joint Commission (JC), The Healthcare Facilities Outpatient Program (HFAP) or Det Norske Veritas Healthcare (DNV).

Accredited facilities are continuously improving the safety and quality of patient care and this certification signifies the facility’s commitment in meeting regulations and best practices for the medical industry. The categories in the OAS-CAHPS survey are assigned weights based on the feedback received from the Women’s Choice Award Survey. Only hospitals that achieve rankings higher or equal to the national average in communication and care by hospital staff, pre and post-surgical coordination, facility ratings and patients’ recommendation are eligible for the outpatient experience award.

Newberry Hospital is one of 315 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for outpatient experience in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award.

In addition to outpatient experience, Newberry Hospital was also named as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics. The award signifies that Newberry Hospital is in the top 9.3% of 4,728 U.S. hospitals offering obstetrics.

The Women’s Choice Award educates all women on where to receive the best care and focuses its research on hospitals that provide the highest quality patient experience, especially important for potential labor complications.

“Having a baby is one of the most precious times in a woman’s life,” said Delia Passi founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “New moms have many choices to make when it comes to having their baby, and choosing where to deliver the baby is right up there with choosing the best doctor. We’ve made it easy for her to identify the best hospitals that are proven to deliver an outstanding experience.”

The methodology for the Best Hospitals for Obstetrics is unique in that it combines national accreditations, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results and hospital outcome scores with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences. It is the only award recognizing excellence in obstetric services based on robust criteria that consider patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.

The Best Hospitals for Obstetrics award gives consideration to the following specific criteria (all are not required):

● The percentage of patients reporting through the HCAHPS survey that they would definitely recommend the hospital

● Patient safety ranking based on 13 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ measures of infection and complication rates

● Low rates of early elective deliveries (between 0-1%)

“Our award gives a woman the confidence that her choice of a hospital for her delivery will be the best in terms of quality care and patient safety for her and her baby. As the trend of women waiting longer to start their families continues, having the Women’s Choice Award seal is especially important for older moms who face increased risk and need a top hospital to provide care for her and her newborn” says Passi.

Newberry Hospital is one of 682 award recipients representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for obstetrics across the U.S.

“This recognition demonstrates the superior healthcare Newberry Hospital provides to our patients,” said John Snow, Chief Executive Officer at Newberry Hospital. “The Women’s Choice Award recognizes our staff and physicians commitment to provide the highest quality care and service.”