
For the fifth consecutive time, Rush University Medical Center has received Magnet designation, the highest national recognition given for nursing excellence.
CHICAGO – For the second time in three years, the American Hospital Association has chosen Rush University Medical Center as an honoree for its annual Equity of Care Award, which recognizes hospitals and health systems for their efforts to reduce health care disparities and to advance diversity and inclusion. The association announced the award recipient and honorees on June 20 and will recognize them at its annual leadership summit, being held July 27 to 29 in San Diego, California.
“Rush has long served a very diverse patient population, including a large number of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, and we are committed to providing the same welcoming environment and high level of care regardless of who our patients are or where they come from,” said Larry Goodman, MD, CEO of the Rush system and Rush University Medical Center. “We are proud that the AHA again has recognized our efforts, particularly our collaboration with community partners to reduce health inequities by assessing and addressing their circumstances outside the hospital.”
The American Hospital Association, or AHA for short, is a not-for-profit association of nearly 5,000 health care provider organizations nationwide. The AHA noted Rush University Medical Center for the following efforts to advance equity of care:
The AHA previously named Rush a finalist for the 2015 Equity of Care award, in recognition of the following initiatives:
The Medical Center’s commitment to equitable care also has earned it honors in the annual Healthcare Quality and Accountability study conducted by the health care services company Vizient (and previously by the University HealthSystem Consortium, now part of Vizient). In each of the 11 years that the study has been conducted, Rush attained a perfect score in the equity of care category, which means that the results of Rush patients’ care do not vary due to differences in patients’ gender, race or socioeconomic status.
In all, the AHA honored five health care providers this year. Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, was chosen as the recipient of the Equity of Care Award. In addition to Rush, Advocate Health Care in Downers Grove, Illinois; Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina; Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida were named as honorees.
“This year’s Equity of Care award winner and honorees offer powerful examples for the rest of the health care field on how to reduce health care disparities and foster diversity and inclusion within their leadership and staff,” said AHA president and CEO Rick Pollack. “Equitable care for all is a goal that hospitals and health systems should strive for each and every day, and these hospitals are helping to lead the way.”