University HealthSystem Consortium ranked UW Hospital fourth among 88 of the nation's highest performing teaching hospitals.
UHC compiled the annual ranking system as a way to recognize medical institutions for superior quality in health care. UHC is a national organization affiliated with nearly 90 percent of the nation's non-profit hospitals.
Lisa Brunette, director of media relations for UW Health, said she is proud of the hospital's position in the rankings.
We've been in this assessment before and have ranked well but never quite this high,"" she said. ""We've been in the top 10, but the top five are the crà ""me de la crà ""me of the 88 hospitals they looked at.""
Donna Katen-Bahensky, UW Hospital president and CEO, said high performance across all areas is a central goal for the hospital.
UW Hospital continues to help the staff understand and focus on patient care with a dedicated quality improvement team. Katen-Bahensky said directors of the hospital enhance the engagement of its staff to enforce the philosophy of putting patients first.
""It is a goal of the quality improvement effort nationally and certainly is of highest importance to UW Hospital and Clinics,"" she said.
According to UHC, UW Hospital displays a high degree of quality in key components such as mortality, effectiveness, safety, equity and patient-centeredness.
""Over the last decade, UW Hospital has worked hard to develop a culture of safety, which means noting any potential safety issues and learning from potential incidents,"" Katen-Bahensky said. ""It is critical to communicate constantly with staff and give them the data they need to succeed.""
