Hospital earns consumer award

Friday, Oct. 31, 2008 | midnight

Summerlin Hospital was awarded a 2008-09 Consumer Choice Award from the National Research Council, or NRC, which ranked it as one of the highest quality health care facilities in the United States.

The hospital joins 116 others across the country that health care consumers have chosen as having the highest quality and image in their respective metropolitan areas.

Surveys were distributed to more than 400,000 respondents nationwide and asked about everything from the quality of equipment to the level of service provided by doctors and nurses. The surveys were given to people that have used local health care facilities within the past year.

"With a lot of awards, you fill out an application and request recognition, if you will," said Karla Perez, interim CEO of Summerlin Hospital. "This one was completely unsolicited by the hospital itself and we rose to the top."

It was the first time Summerlin Hospital — which has been open since 1997 — won the award. The list of 2008-09 winners was also published in the October issue of Modern Healthcare Magazine, which came out Sept. 29.

Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center also received a 2008-09 Consumer Choice Award, tying with Summerlin Hospital as the only two health care facilities in the Las Vegas Valley to receive the honor.

At the end of April, Summerlin Hospital opened a 20,000-square-foot expansion to its emergency room that included new CAT scan machines and radiology scanners.

Between 100 and 115 patients arrive at the emergency room each day. Summerlin Hospital has approximately 1,100 employees and 1,400 physicians on staff.

"From the staff's perspective, it's a nice recognition and a validation of the hard work they put in each and every day, whether it's doctors, nurses, technicians or clerical staff," Perez said. "It's nice to have an external agency validate what you're doing internally."

Jeff Pope can be reached at 990-2688 or jeff.pope@hbcpub.com.