Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast named to list of nation's 100 Top Hospitals. Here's why

Special to Gannett / USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read

MIRAMAR BEACH — Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has again been named to the 100 Top Hospitals list among 2,650 acute care hospitals in the United States.

Merative, formerly IBM Watson Health, released its 2022 rankings of the top hospitals and health systems in partnership with Fortune on June 30. This award marks the sixth time that the Ascension Sacred Heart hospital has made the list of the top-performing hospitals in the nation.

Ascension Sacred Heart of the Emerald Coast Hospital.
Ascension Sacred Heart of the Emerald Coast Hospital.

More from the health system: Ascension Sacred Heart adds third Women’s Diagnostic Center in Watersound Origins. See photos.

Related: Two of Ascension's first patients return to celebrate anniversary of Walton County's first NICU

“Earning this national recognition for the sixth time is truly remarkable and a testament to all of our associates and physicians who always put patients first," said Henry Stovall, regional president of Ascension Sacred Heart. "We've had a special relationship with this community for almost 20 years. We will continue to deliver the compassionate, high-quality health care that everyone in our community deserves.”

This year’s 100 Top Hospitals study found that significantly better outcomes were provided by the top hospitals. Compared to most hospitals, the winners:

  • Had lower inpatient mortality.

  • Had fewer patient complications.

  • Delivered care that resulted in fewer infections.

  • Had lower 30-day mortality and 30-day hospital-wide readmission rates.

  • Sent patients home sooner.

  • Kept inpatient expenses low while still maintaining a healthy financial environment.

  • Scored higher on patient ratings of their overall hospital experience.

Merative, a health care analytics company, developed this year's list to help identify best practices that may help other health care organizations achieve consistent, balanced and sustainable high performance. The list is determined using independent and objective research, including data from Medicare patient records. Organizations do not apply or pay for this honor or pay to promote their award.

The annual list is now published by Fortune Magazine.

Since its opening in 2003, Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast has consistently been ranked high among U.S. hospitals for the quality of its care and patient satisfaction survey scores. In May, the hospital earned the top safety grade of "A"  from Leapfrog Group, a national organization focused on preventing errors, accidents, injuries and infections in U.S. hospitals.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Ascension Sacred Heart named in 100 Top Hospitals in U.S. by Merative