The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care & Research by the Women’s Choice Award for 2018. Previously, Karmanos had been ranked as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care by the Women’s Choice Award, from 2011-2012, as well as 2014-2017.
A hospital must have earned the prestigious National Cancer Institute (NCI) accreditation to receive the award for cancer care and research. Karmanos has continuously held the NCI’s highest designation as a comprehensive cancer center since 1978. Karmanos is one of two hospitals in Michigan to hold the comprehensive cancer center status.
Karmanos is one of only 54 hospitals that received the award for cancer care and research in 2018, representing the hospitals that have met the highest standards for cancer care and research in the U.S. by the Women’s Choice Award. The award also signifies that Karmanos is in the top nine percent of 4,812 U.S. hospitals offering exceptional cancer care services.
“We’re extremely pleased that we have been recognized for exceptional cancer care and for the innovative cancer research we conduct each day,” said Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Karmanos Cancer Institute. “This honor drives home our unwavering commitment to our patients in providing them the very best treatments and access to the latest therapies that ultimately result in better outcomes.
“We are also proud to be at the forefront of developing cancer therapies that other hospitals and health organizations will use for cancer patients in the future.”
The Women’s Choice Award measures hospitals on the presence of specific cancer-related services offered onsite, infection rates and patient recommendation ratings on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Survey. The award is unique in that criteria also include primary research about women’s health care preferences.
“Women will search on their own for the best cancer care,” said Delia Passi, founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “According to our own survey, nearly two-thirds of women would do their own research vs. letting a doctor choose a hospital for their cancer care. The Women’s Choice Award makes it easier for them to make confident decisions.”
Accreditation required for the award ensures that a hospital or facility offers a full range of diagnostic and treatment services, or provides integrated cancer care and comprehensive services.
Low infection rates compared to the national average are another important measure. Oncology patients are more susceptible than other patients to hospital-acquired infections because of their compromised immune systems.
Passi emphasized that Karmanos and all 2018 America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care and Research deliver on the care that matters most to women.
“In addition to our award winners’ high-level performance on a national level, they provide the care that women value most, including easily accessible services onsite to avoid multiple trips for their treatment, which is so important to women faced with a cancer diagnosis,” said Passi.