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• Tacoma General Hospital wins "Consumer Choice Award"

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  For 13th time, Tacoma General ranks No. 1 as region's preferred choice for health care

  TACOMA – Only one hospital in Pierce County stands among the nation’s top medical centers, according to the largest and most comprehensive consumer study of U.S. health care.

  For the 13th time, MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital ranks No. 1 as the region’s preferred choice for health care.

  The not-for-profit Tacoma General is the only hospital in Pierce County to win the 2010-2011 Consumer Choice Award, as chosen by local residents surveyed by National Research Corp.

  When asked to name their most-preferred hospital, people chose Tacoma General based on criteria such as best overall quality, best image and reputation, best doctors and best nurses.

  “I am extremely proud of our team here at Tacoma General,” said Shelly Mullin, RN, Vice President of Tacoma General Hospital. “This award validates our employees’ commitment to providing skilled and compassionate care to our community. The achievement is especially rewarding because our hard work was recognized by the people who matter most: The people we serve.”

  The award is a vote of confidence in MultiCare’s commitment to being the region’s trusted provider of health care.

  This year, MultiCare responded to the needs of the community when it opened the 132,000-square-foot Milgard Pavilion at Tacoma General Hospital. The new building includes two new Emergency Departments and the MultiCare Regional Cancer Center.

  In March, the MultiCare Regional Cancer Center opened at Tacoma General Hospital. Tacoma’s first comprehensive cancer care center brings together in one building all aspects of care, offering easy access to the latest treatment technology and supportive caregivers in a soothing environment. The cancer center is the only South Sound network affiliate of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, giving residents convenient access to the latest clinical trials and world-renowned expertise.

  In April, MultiCare opened new Emergency Departments for Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and Health Center, more than doubling the number of rooms available to meet the needs of the growing community. The new building was designed to deliver a better experience for the patient. That means more patient treatment rooms. That means bigger rooms to accommodate families and health care providers. That means single-patient rooms to provide more privacy. And that means new technology right at the bedside.

  All of MultiCare’s hospitals and outpatient clinics are connected to an electronic health record system called MultiCare Connect.

  “Health care has become an increasingly important issue across the country, and empowered consumers are making decisions for themselves and their families when selecting their health care facilities and services,” said Ginny Martin, president of NRC’s division that does the survey. Martin said a Consumer Choice Award winner “exemplifies the dedication it takes to provide quality health care to their communities, and we are pleased to honor them through the eyes of their patients.”

  For the study, National Research Corp. surveyed more than 250,000 households -- including 760 households locally -- representing 450,000 consumers from September 2009 to August 2010. MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital first received the Consumer Choice Award in 1996.

  Posted on Oct 18, 2010 in