The following content is created in partnership with Virginia Hospital Center. It does not reflect the work or opinions of the NBC Washington editorial staff. Click here to learn more about Virginia Hospital Center.
Quality care and patient safety are at the forefront of everyone’s minds during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s especially true for the estimated two million patients a year who face the prospect of surgery or special care that poses either unusual technical challenges or significantly heightened risk. National hospital rankings are a tool that can help patients find sources of especially skilled inpatient care.
To that end, Virginia Hospital Center (VHC) is one health care facility that has been recognized nationally by several publications.
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Newsweek Ranks VHC a Top Maternity Hospital
Virginia Hospital Center is the only Northern Virginia Hospital, and among just 231 in the nation, to rank on Newsweek’s 2020 list of “Best Maternity Care Hospitals.”
Hospitals earning this prestigious recognition have fully met the maternity-care standards of The Leapfrog Group, an independent hospital-safety watchdog organization. This includes lower rates of early elective delivery, Cesarean delivery, and episiotomy, as well as compliance with process measures, including newborn bilirubin screening prior to discharge and blood clot prevention techniques for mothers delivering via C-section.
“We pride ourselves on always providing the highest caliber of patient care,” says Melody Dickerson, chief nursing officer. “In the face of the new challenges presented this year by COVID-19, we are especially appreciative of this recognition for our staff’s efforts to keep our patients and community safe.”
U.S. News Rates VHC No. 3 in the D.C. Metro Area
The U.S. News & World Report 2020-2021 Best Hospitals guide ranked Virginia Hospital Center No. 3 in the Washington DC metro area and No. 8 in Virginia (the guide evaluated more than 4,500 medical centers in 16 medical specialties, 9 adult procedures or conditions, and 10 pediatric specialties). VHC’s ranking is not only a notable achievement for this year, but also represents a steady rise in position over the past few years. According to U.S. News, “Our strict eligibility criteria ensure we’re only evaluating hospitals that regularly treat complex cases and therefore have the experience to provide high-quality care.”
“This year’s ranking once again confirms Virginia Hospital Center as a leader in our city, our region, and our state in providing excellent healthcare for our community,” said Dr. Russell McWey, chairman of the Virginia Hospital Center Board of Directors. “This recognition is the result of hard work and dedication to the principle of putting patients first, shared by our physicians, nurses, and staff.”
The U.S. News guide recognized VHC with high performance ratings in seven adult procedures or conditions:
- colon cancer surgery
- heart failure
- aortic valve surgery
- heart bypass surgery
- hip replacement surgery
- knee replacement surgery
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Further, Mayo Clinic was once again ranked as the No. 1 Hospital nationally. VHC has been a proud member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network (MCCN) for more than five years.
The process of rating hospital performance involves a massive amount of research and analysis. Best Hospitals criteria evaluate objective measures such as risk-adjusted survival, discharge-to-home rates, volume and quality of nursing, and patient experience, as evidenced by patient satisfaction surveys taken by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems. VHC’s designation as a Magnet Hospital, recognizing the highest level of nursing care, is also taken into account in the ranking process.
Patient safety is an essential part of ensuring high-quality patient outcomes. VHC is recognized as a Top Hospital and received 16 consecutive ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group. Top Hospitals have better systems in place to keep their patients safe from errors, injuries, and infections. It is exceptional to be recognized for not only having a great safety record, but for providing patient safety consistently over many years.
If you need medical care, consider visiting Virginia Hospital Center. Click here to learn more and to see how VHC is earning its reputation as a top health care provider.
