Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center has garnered one of the highest levels of recognition a hospital can receive for a second time. The hospital announced today it has earned redesignation as a Magnet Recognition Program® by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Less than seven percent of hospitals in the country have achieved Magnet status since the program's inception in 1994. Memorial Hermann Memorial City first earned Magnet recognition in 2009 and is one of only 35 hospitals to do so in Texas.
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.
“Magnet recognition is comparable to winning a gold medal for nursing excellence – it is a tremendous achievement for our hospital,” said Dan Kelly, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Hermann Memorial City. “It recognizes the excellent work our nurses perform each day and rewards the commitment of our entire staff to serve as a team, providing the highest quality care possible for our patients and our community.”
Before a hospital is selected for Magnet recognition, ANCC completes a rigorous 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.
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 Memorial City is one of three Magnet hospitals within the Memorial Hermann Health System. The other two are Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center and Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center.