Mercy Fort Smith named to ‘Best Hospitals’ list

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith is one of only three hospitals in Arkansas to make the U.S. News & World Report annual “Best Hospitals” list.

The hospital comes in second and tied with Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock. The hospital is recognized as high-performing in treatment related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, hip replacement, and knee replacement. Scores are based on a variety of patient outcomes and care-related factors, such as patient safety and nurse staffing.

This recognition comes on the heels of a similar honor for the Mercy health system. Truven, an IBM company, recently named Mercy as one of the top five large health systems in the nation, alongside Mayo. Truven’s study uses objective, independent research and public data sources. Health systems do not apply for consideration, and winners do not pay to market their award.

In that analysis, Mercy outperformed peers in the following ways:
• Saved more lives and caused fewer patient complications;
• Re-admitted patients less frequently and experienced fewer deaths;
• Lower cost of care;
• Shorter wait times in emergency departments;
• Shorter hospital stays;
• Better patient safety; and
• Higher patient satisfaction

“Our focus is never where we stand in rankings, but it’s still humbling to see our co-workers’ dedication and excellence rewarded with a spot at the top of the lists,” said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Hospital Fort Smith. “We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to our community’s well-being with exceptional health care and we will continue to work to improve every day.”