ROANOKE – A major milestone for local healthcare in the region: Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is now known as the third-best hospital in the Commonwealth of Virginia, tying with VCU medical center.
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That's according to the annual ranking by U.S. News and World Report. It’s the highest ranking Carilion has ever achieved. Last year the hospital was ranked fifth in the state of Virginia.
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The U.S. News and World Report rankings are designed to help people make the best, most informed decisions about where to receive health care.
Rankings were never the goal for doctors and nurses at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Dr. Patrice Weiss, executive vice president of Carilion Clinic and the chief medical officer, says the focus has been only quality, skilled care for patients
"Our mission is to improve the health of the communities that we serve. Every day when we come to work, whatever our location, that really is our goal, and forthmost on our mind," Dr. Weiss said.
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But as Weiss explained, this milestone is a proud accomplishment of their overall goal.
"We could not be more excited having our highest rating yet with U.S. News and World report," Weiss said.
On top of being ranked number three in the commonwealth, Carilion Clinic has now earned national recognition out of nearly 5,000 hospitals ranked in the country.
"Only one percent are found to have a high performing ranking in nine areas. So we are so pleased in our ranking within the commonwealth and we are so pleased with our ranking nationally,” Weiss said.
The procedures and conditions U.S. News and World Report reviewed and considered “high performing” were colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, heart failure, heart bypass surgery, COPD, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, knee replacement and hip replacement.
According to U.S. News and World Report, scores are based on a variety of patient outcome and care-related factors, such as patient safety and nurse staffing. U.S. News ranks hospitals in 16 adult and 10 pediatric specialties. Hospitals also receive a rating in nine common procedures and conditions, including hip replacement and COPD. Read more about how they rank and rate hospitals.
Weiss said this ranking is so important because it means the local community has access to high-quality health care.
“What this means to our community is that our patients, our community, our neighbors can get state of the art, world class care in their neighborhood. And they know that they do not have to leave the area, the region to have the care that they can expect, that they deserve,” Weiss said.
As Carilion continues to grow, along with its partnership at the research institute at VTCRI, so does the overall benefit to the community.
"We really should be able to attract more innovative companies, more new business to the area, it's really a very exciting time,” Weiss said.
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