Several organizations and publications have honored NKCH and MH.
Cardiac Care
Our organization received the highest level of recognition awarded by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for participating in its quality improvement registry: Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline®.
Among the six awards are a first-ever Gold Plus Award for Heart Failure Care and a second consecutive Gold Plus Award for Stroke Care. The awards recognize NKCH and MH’s commitment to following the latest evidence-based guidelines for treating heart failure and stroke to improve patient outcomes.
Maternity Care
U.S. News & World Report has ranked NKCH among its Best Hospitals for Maternity with a “High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy)” rating. This honor places NKCH above the bar and is one of only two Missouri hospitals to achieve this recognition.
U.S. News evaluated how well hospitals performed in 2020 in several aspects of care. The scorecard rated NKCH as excellent at minimizing avoidable C-sections, with unexpected newborn complications and early elective deliveries a rarity. U.S. News assessed nearly 650 hospitals that provide high-quality labor and delivery services for uncomplicated pregnancies. Fewer than 300 earned a High Performing designation.
Digital Health
NKCH and MH has been recognized again as a leader in digital health. The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives surveyed more than 55,000 facilities for its annual Digital Health Most Wired Survey. It certified NKCH and MH Level 9 for both Acute Care and Ambulatory Care. CHIME has recognized our health system as a Most Wired organization for over a decade.
The Digital Health Most Wired survey assesses the adoption, integration and impact of information technologies in healthcare organizations. The Level 9-10 certification recognizes technology leaders that leverage advanced technologies and innovation to improve patient outcomes and safety by reducing costs, providing broader patient access and improving the quality of care.
Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab
The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) has once again recertified and recognized our cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation program for excellence. This national accreditation recognizes leaders in the field for offering the most advanced practices available.
The AACVPR is a professional association of health professionals who serve in the field of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. It is a peer-reviewed accreditation process that evaluates each facility on quality measures published by the AACVPR and other professional organizations. Cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs are eligible to apply for recertification every three years.
GI Care and GI Surgery
Healthgrades has recognized NKCH and MH gastrointestinal services with both a GI Care Excellence Award™ and a GI Surgery Excellence Award™ for 2024. These honors rank NKCH and MH in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for GI care and GI surgery.
The annual Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Awards™ and Ratings are announced in conjunction with the annual Specialty Excellence Report. Hospital quality is evaluated annually in 16 specialty care areas for clinical outcomes. More than 45 million Medicare claims are analyzed for mortality and complication rates at approximately 4,500 hospitals.
Nursing
Director of Quality and Care Continuum Jillian Knudsen, MSN, RN, CNL, is the Missouri Hospital Association Quality Leader of the Year. Her leadership, experience in performance improvement and ability to gain stakeholder consensus led to many efforts, including reducing complications for hip and knee patients, as well as hospital readmissions.