NVRH Receives Guardian of Excellence Award in the ED

JOHNSBURY, VT (date) – Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital (NVRH) is pleased to announce that its Emergency Department has received a Press Ganey 2020 Guardian of Excellence Award^® for achieving and sustaining patient experience.

The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing healthcare organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above for performance in patient experience. The Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award is a nationally recognized symbol of achievement in healthcare. Presented annually, the award honors clients who consistently sustained performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period during the course of one year.

“This recognition speaks to a consistent dedication to providing patient-centered care in our emergency department,” says Dr. Ryan Sexton, Medical Director of the NVRH Emergency Department.  “It also speaks to the evolution of our department over the last few years and excellent and caring team that we have brought together.”

Our clinical and support staff deserve the credit for this award,” says Darrell Bormann Director of ED Operations.  “They work hard day in and day out.  I am so proud of our staff.”

“An excellent patient experience is a team effort,” adds Bormann, Director of ED Operations.  “It starts with the first person in our Access Department who greets them when they enter the building, and every care giver they encounter while here.”

“This award speaks to our doctors listening to patients and their families’ needs as part of the shared decision making approach to treatment, and to the tireless efforts by our nurses and technicians to enhance patient comfort,” adds Sexton.

 “The caregivers and staff of Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital touch the lives of patients and their families in profound ways,” Press Ganey Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Patrick T. Ryan said. “This award reflects their deep commitment to listening to the voices of their patients and our shared mission to reduce suffering and improve the safety, quality, and experience of patient-centered care. I continue to be humbled and inspired by their heroic efforts to care for patients in the face of the uncertainty, stress, and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Press Ganey is proud to partner with them in this noble work and we congratulate them on this tremendous achievement.”

According to NVRH CEO Shawn Tester, the award represents an important recognition from the industry’s leader in measuring, understanding, and improving the delivery of care. “Over the last five years, our Emergency Department has been transformed.  I am so proud of the entire team- this award is a testament to their hard work and commitment to improving the entire patient experience.”

“This award reflects a commitment to our belief that the patient comes first,” says Sexton. “To put it simply: the NVRH Emergency Department cares.”