Honors and Awards
Respected agencies continually rank Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital among the top performers in:
Click on the links above, or scroll down to learn more.
Quality
American College of Surgeons commendation
Providence Cancer Center at Sacred Heart Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital received 3-year accreditation with commendation from the American College of Surgeons for superior service. In 2006, only 56 percent of 446 cancer centers nationwide received this designation. (2006)
American Heart Association
Sacred Heart has received the Gold Plus Award from the American Heart Association’s “Get With the Guidelines” stroke program. This is a performance-based recognition for hospitals that meet specific stroke care-related criteria, and have achieved 85 percent adherence to performance measures for two or more consecutive 12-month intervals, and 75 percent or higher compliance with six of 10 Get With The Guidelines Stroke Quality Measures, which are reporting initiatives to measure quality of care.
The program was established to ensure that every patient is consistently treated according to the most recent guidelines. Criteria measured includes qualified patients who receive tPA (a “clot busting” drug) within three hours of onset of stroke symptoms; patients discharged with appropriate medications, including antithrombotics or anticoagulation therapy (where appropriate); percent of smokers who receive cessation advice or medication; and others. (2008, 2009)
Beacon Award
www.aacn.org
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center received the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Beacon Award. The Beacon represents an extraordinary commitment to excellence and high-quality compassionate care for our patients and their families.
Two separate awards recognized nursing excellence at its finest, and place our adult and pediatric critical care staff among the top 2% in the nation in 2009. In 2010, our adult ICU was singled out again - an elite designation given to less than 1% of all critical care units in the United States!
Best Acute Care Hospitals Award
www.totalbenchmarksolution.com/quality
Sacred Heart Medical Center has been recognized for its superior efforts in achieving the Best Acute Care Hospitals Award by the Total Benchmark Solution, LLC. It is in recognition of top-performance nationwide determined by rankings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) core measures related to heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia care. (2007 award, based on 2005 data)
Best in Value
www.hospitalvalueindex.com
Sacred Heart has been recognized with a 2009-2010 Hospital Value Index Best in Value Award as a result of a study conducted by Data Advantage, LLC. Sacred Heart ranked among the top tier of all hospitals nationwide, achieving high marks in quality, affordability and efficiency, and patient satisfaction.
Best Prepared Trauma recognition
www.traumafoundation.org/public/prepardness.php
Sacred Heart Medical Center was selected by the National Foundation for Trauma Care as one of five "best preparedness practice trauma centers" in the nation, specifically related to communication. The designation was made following a recent inventory of trauma centers across the U.S., based on information about preparedness for a terrorist-type attack as well as other disaster hazards. (2006-07)
Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care
Sacred Heart Medical Center has been designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by the BlueCross BlueShield Association, which includes Premera BlueCross and Regence BlueShield. The national distinction is awarded to hospitals achieving quality standards, demonstrating better patient outcomes and providing affordable care.
Certified Primary Care Stroke program
Sacred Heart Medical Center was one of the first hospitals in the nation to receive Primary Stroke Certification from The Joint Commission, and was recertified in 2006. At Sacred Heart, you can be assured of the most advanced care for stroke patients, such as using the drug tPA to dissolve clots, as well as various kinds of stents that open blood vessels to the brain and carotid arteries. When it comes to treating stroke patients, time is critical. (2004/2006/2008/2010)
Consumer Choice
hcmg.nationalresearch.com
For the 12th time, Providence Sacred Heart has received the Consumer Choice Award from the National Research Corporation. Consumers taking the survey were asked which hospital has the best doctors, best nurses, best image and reputation, and best overall quality. Sacred Heart has received the Consumer Choice Award from 1998 to 2007, 2009 and 2010.
HealthGrades
www.healthgrades.com
Results for all hospitals are available on this internet-based rating service (see website above), which uses a star system to indicate hospital performance and patient safety. Data from more than 70 independent sources is used in the rating system. Sacred Heart consistently ranks high in key areas, including cardiac care and patient safety. more »
Healthy Hospital Award
www.ascenths.com
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital has been recognized with the Gold Award for outstanding performance in reducing environmental harm and improving overall hospital quality through medical device remanufacturing and reprocessing. In just one year, the Medical Center saved $534,178 and prevented 13,395 lbs. of medical materials from entering the waste stream. (2008)
Hospital Quality Alliance
www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
Sacred Heart consistently ranks high in cardiac care on this easy-to-use web site, where scores are updated quarterly. “We’ve always found Sacred Heart up near the top. They’ve always been a leader in our state, and I believe other hospitals can learn a lot from them,” says Sharon Eloranta, MD, senior quality improvement consultant at Qualis Health, which computes data for Washington State.
Hospital Compare is a public-private collaboration that tracks how often hospitals provide recommended care that gets the best results for most patients. To keep our performance high, Sacred Heart conducts multi-disciplinary physician forums daily, have clinical “champions” oversee the areas of heart disease and pneumonia, and provide concurrent review of patients’ charts.
Hospital Quality Incentive Program (Medicare)
www.cms.hhs.gov
Sacred Heart has been named the top performer nationwide in a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pay-for-performance project that rewards hospitals for delivering higher quality care in five clinical areas.
Based on third-year results from the Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (HQID) project, Sacred Heart ranked in the top 10 percent in the country for overall quality in the clinical areas of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure and total joint replacement; and in the top 20 percent for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.
CMS awarded incentive payments of more than $7 million to 112 hospitals in 2008, with more than $24.5 million awarded over the first three years of the project. Sacred Heart received the top bonus payment of $385,342.
This is the second year the Medical Center has been rewarded for achieving top-quality results in this study; in 2007, Sacred Heart Sacred Heart received a bonus payment of more than $256,000—the fifth highest amount awarded to any hospital. Premier Inc., a nonprofit hospital alliance, manages the project for CMS. (2008)
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
100,000 Lives Campaign
www.ihi.org/campaign
In a first-of-its-kind campaign, Sacred Heart Medical Center and thousands of U.S. hospitals teamed up to save 100,000 lives in one year by improving patient care. The ongoing campaign launched by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement focuses on six areas, including preventing medication errors and ventilator-associated pneumonia. (2006)
Sacred Heart is among an elite group of hospitals awarded mentor status for willingness to share invaluable hands-on experience with other hospitals. We mentor in preventing central line infections and deploying rapid-response teams at the first sign a patient’s condition is worsening. Read more about our Rapid Response Team.
Joint Commission
www.qualitycheck.org 
www.jointcommission.org
Sacred Heart is fully accredited by the Joint Commission, a national accrediting agency. The Medical Center performs above average in the state and nation for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia care, while excelling in patient safety, recent results show. Sacred Heart is also home to the region’s only Primary Stroke Center—a Joint Commission designation for our superior stroke care program.
To maintain accreditation, Sacred Heart participates in an intense, on-site survey by a team of experts every three years. The nation’s largest and oldest accrediting agency, the Joint Commission compares hospitals in several treatment areas. Sacred Heart is proud to have received the Gold Seal of Approval from this independent, not-for-profit organization, proof of meeting and/or exceeding key quality and safety standards.
Mechanical Heart Program
Providence Sacred Heart has earned the The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™ for health care quality in Disease-Specific Care Certification for the permanent implantation of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), known as destination therapy. Destination Therapy is an option for patients who do not meet medical criteria for heart transplantation, or decline transplantation for personal reasons.
This certification by The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services places Sacred Heart among 63 programs in the nation able to provide this therapy (and one of just two in the state of Washington), and deems the Medical Center’ mechanical heart program as a Center of Excellence in disease-specific care. (2009)
Organ Donation Medal of Honor
Sacred Heart Medical Center received the Organ Donation Medal of Honor once again from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for achieving organ donation rates of at least 75 percent. Less than 200 hospitals nationwide receive this honor. (2004/2006/2008/2009/)
Other noteworthy achievements for organ donation include:
- Sacred Heart’s Kidney Transplant Center celebrated its 25th anniversary in October, 2006.
- The 200th heart transplant, November 2006.
- The 1,000th kidney transplant, July 2008.
- One of just 93 hospitals to be recognized 4 years in a row for success in increasing organ donation rates at their facilities, November, 2008.
Patient Safety Award
Sacred Heart received this award from the Washington State Hospital Association in recognition of its Rapid Response Team in saving lives.
Premier Award for Quality
Sacred Heart received the award for quality in its total joint replacement of the hip and knee from Premier, Inc. (2004)
President’s Award for Excellence
In 2007, Sacred Heart's Perioperative Team received this honor from Providence Health & Services for dramatically improving service by updating processes. On-time starts in the Operating Room increased from 38 to 84 percent, while turnaround averages went down from 30 to 21 minutes overall—better than any other OR in the nation.
Sacred Heart received this award in 2006 for reengineering its Emergency Department, including the patient admission process in the Emergency Room. Results included significantly reducing patient wait time while increasing capacity and reducing diversions and patient satisfaction.
Press Ganey
www.pressganey.com
To better meet your needs, Sacred Heart Medical Center routinely participates in Press Ganey Inc.’s patient surveys. Press Ganey is the industry’s leading independent vendor of such services. Patients are asked to evaluate every aspect of their care experience at Sacred Heart—from quality of meals and housekeeping to friendliness and courtesy of staff to quality of clinical care.
"A+++ rating."
"I had the best care you could get."
"Your staff is fantastically exceptional!"
Click here to see what else people are saying about us in patient satisfaction surveys.
Qualis Award for Excellence in Healthcare
Sacred Heart received the Qualis Award of Excellence in 2005, for providing more efficient and prompt patient care in the Emergency Room. Patients now are seen by the Emergency physician more quickly and wait times and ambulance diversions have been dramatically reduced.
Sacred Heart Medical Center was named as the top performer in Washington State by Quality Health for efforts to improve care to patients with heart attacks, heart failure and/or pneumonia. (2006)
And Sacred Heart's Wound and Ostomy department received the award in 2009 for using focused education and treatment protocols to reduce the rate of hospital acquired pressure ulcers from 10.49% to 1.3%
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
www.ustransplant.org
National statistics prove it: patients who receive a heart transplant at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital have the best chance of survival after surgery, and later in life.
For the third straight year, Sacred Heart has been identified as one of just three hospitals in the United States where patients have a statistically proven better survival rate after having a heart transplant, according to a report released by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR).
The national 3-year survival rate for heart transplant is 81.6%. However, Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital has topped the list at 96.8% (see related story).
The report studies 127 heart transplant centers across the nation. (2007, 2008, 2009)
Thomson Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals
www.100tophospitals.com
Sacred Heart has once again achieved status as a Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospital in the nation. Just five hospitals in Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) received the award, which is based on quality standards, patient outcomes and surgical techniques; Sacred Heart is the only hospital in Spokane to receive this honor (learn more).
The annual study, performed by Thomson Healthcare (formerly Solucient), identifies the nation’s top providers of cardiovascular service, using the two most recent years of publically available data. Judged against peer organizations, Top 100 Cardiovascular Hospitals have better clinical outcomes in terms of mortality and complications; have lower costs; maintain shorter lengths of stay; and are technologically and clinically advanced. (2006-07)
Visit the Sacred Heart Cardiac Services website
Top Heart Transplant Program
Sacred Heart’s heart transplant program was named top in the nation for its one-year survival rate by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999)
Environmental Excellence
Commute Trip Reduction Award
Sacred Heart has been recognized for contributing to a healthier environment by the Spokane County Commute Trip Reduction Program. Sacred Heart was noted for its progress toward having 35 percent of employees participating in the Commute Trip Reduction Program.
Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star” award
Sacred Heart Medical Center received the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star” award for its low energy use per square foot of space. This honor is particularly significant due to the 1.6 million square feet of building space that exists on the Sacred Heart campus, and the fact that energy costs comprise approximately 38 percent of the Facilities department budget. (2003, 2005 and 2007)
Practice Greenhealth
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital received the Partner for Change—with Distinction—Award from Practice Greenhealth, a national organization for health care facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations, in 2011. The award recognizes the efforts made house-wide by Sacred Heart staff to establish more environmentally sound, sustainable and costsaving practices. Sacred Heart is the first hospital in Eastern Washington to receive this honor.
Sacred Heart also received the Partner Recognition Award and Making Medicine Mercury-Free Award from Practice Greenhealth in 2010. The Partner Recognition award is for health care facilities that have begun to work on environmental improvements, achieved some progress, and have made good results in reuse, reduce and recycling for the total waste stream. The Making Medicine Mercury-Free Award was due to the virtual elimination of mercury from the clinical setting. (2010, 2011)
Community Leadership
Diversity and Economic Development Award
Sacred Heart’s commitment to diversity and economic development was recognized by the African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American Business and Professional Organization. (2003)
Patriotic Employer Award
Sacred Heart was honored by the U.S. National Guard for supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force. (2003)
AGORA Award for Business Excellence and Community Service
Sacred Heart Medical Center received the AGORA Award for Business Excellence and Community Service from the Spokane Chamber of Commerce for its leadership role. (2002)
Technology
100 Most Wired Hospitals 
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital made the list of “2011 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems” published in Hospitals & Health Networks, the journal of the American Hospital Association. We are proud of this status, because it demonstrates our commitment to pair information technology with strategic plans to deliver value through improvements in quality, satisfaction and patient care. This isn’t the first time Sacred Heart has made the list: We’ve been on it for 11 consecutive years. (2000-2011)
“Spokane is already on the cutting edge of technology … even more than some parts of Seattle,” Senator Maria Cantwell said while visiting Sacred Heart. In addition, Sacred Heart was the first in the region to add its Bridge Medical medication system to ensure that each patient receives the right prescription, at the right time, in the right dose as part of its advanced patient safety program.