Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center has garnered one of the highest levels of recognition a hospital can receive for a second time. The first hospital in The Woodlands announced today it has earned redesignation as a Magnet Recognition Program® by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC).
Less than seven percent of hospitals in the country have achieved Magnet status since the program's inception in 1994. Memorial Hermann The Woodlands first earned Magnet recognition in 2010 and is the only hospital to do so in Montgomery County.
The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovation in professional nursing practice. Magnet recognition is the highest possible organizational credential granted by the ANCC, the largest and most prominent nursing credentialing organization in the United States. Hospitals must excel in several areas, including nursing standards and practices, patient care, and innovations in nursing leadership and management to earn Magnet status.
“This is a testament to our commitment to excellence in quality patient care and we are so proud and honored to once again be part of the Magnet Recognition Program,” said Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Chief Nursing Officer Catherine Giegerich, MS, BSN, RN. “Magnet is the pinnacle of nursing honors. It recognizes the great work done on a daily basis by our nursing staff as well as its overall dedication to patient-centered care.”
Before a hospital is selected for Magnet recognition, ANCC completes a rigorous, extensive evaluation process that includes onsite visits, reviews of written documentation, staff and patient satisfaction surveys and interviews. Initial Magnet recognition is valid for four years and, during that time, hospitals and nursing staff are closely monitored, evaluated, and surveyed to ensure they remain in compliance with the program's high standards. At the end of the four-year period, hospitals must re-apply and again undergo the challenging evaluation process.
“Redesignation as a Magnet facility is an incredible achievement,” said Josh Urban, Senior Vice President and CEO of Memorial Hermann The Woodlands. “It tells our patients that we have consistently maintained the highest standard of care for the people we serve. It also highlights the collaboration, cohesiveness and innovation of our nursing staff. Our community deserves the safest quality care available and this affirms that our staff is providing that.
Studies have demonstrated that Magnet-recognized hospitals typically provide a higher quality of patient care, including lower mortality rates and better patient satisfaction. Magnet hospitals also experience lower turnover and lower rates of burnout among nursing staff. The recognition is also directly linked to a hospital's ability to attract and retain qualified, highly educated nursing staff.
Of the 5,000-plus hospitals in the U.S., only 419 are Magnet facilities. Memorial Hermann The Woodlands is one of three Magnet hospitals within the Memorial Hermann Health System: Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center.