University of Chicago Hospitals top survey of local hospitals

University of Chicago Hospitals top survey of local hospitals

November 1, 2000

For the second year in a row, the National Research Corporation (NRC), a leader in healthcare performance measurement, has presented two Consumer Choice Awards to the University of Chicago Hospitals. The award, based on surveys of more than 160,000 households, recognizes hospitals that consumers rank the highest in quality and image. It is the largest and most comprehensive survey of its kind.

The University of Chicago tied with Northwestern Memorial Hospital as the top-ranking hospital in the Chicago Metropolitan area. UCH also tied with The Community Hospital of Gary, Indiana, as the hospital most highly rated by health care consumers in that community, about 50 miles to the south east.

"It's nice to win at home and away," said Ralph Muller, president and chief executive officer of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System. "We have long been known as the leading hospital in Chicago, but the households from Northwest Indiana have formed their opinions based on personal experience and word of mouth. We are honored that patients would travel this far for their healthcare and then speak well of what they saw here."

NRC surveyed 103 healthcare markets around the United States and rated them on several "measures indicative of quality from a consumer's perspective." Only two hospitals, UCH and Stanford, were selected as the top-ranked hospital in more than one metropolitan area.

In a previous survey, the Best Hospitals issue of U.S. News & World Report (July 17, 2000), the University of Chicago Hospitals ranked 14th nationally overall and were ranked among the best in 12 specialty areas, including cancer (#6), gastroenterology (#7) and endocrinology (#8). The University of Chicago Hospitals are the only Illinois hospitals ever included in the survey's Honor Roll of the Best Hospitals in the United States.