Staff photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye Medical Center was named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics Dec. 27, receiving the Women’s Choice Award for being in the top 17% of 4,982 U.S. hospitals offering obstetrics.

SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye Medical Center was named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics Friday.

The Women’s Choice Award signifies Sleepy Eye Medical Center is in the top 17% of 4,982 U.S. hospitals offering obstetrics.

Methodology by America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics was called unique in that it combines national accreditations, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) and hospital outcome scores with primary research about women’s healthcare preferences.

It is the only award recognizing excellence in obstetric services based on robust criteria that consider patient satisfaction and clinical excellence.

The award is based on specific criteria including:

• The percentage of patients reported through the HCPHPS survey that they would definitely recommend the hospital.

• Patient safety ranking based on 11 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ measures of infection and complication rates.

• Low rates of early, elective deliveries (between 0-1%).

• Baby-friendly USA designation, a World Health Organization (WHO)/United National Children’s Fund (UNICEF) initiative report to support best practices for breastfeeding education and counseling.

• Level III and Level IV neonatal intensive care designations to provide comprehensive care for the most complex and critically ill newborns.

Sleepy Eye Medical Center is one of 428 award recipients representing hospitals that have met the highest obstetrics standards in the U.S.

“As a small, rural hospital, we are humbled to be recognized amongst the best in providing obstetric services,” said SEMC Administrator Kevin Sellheim. “We are blessed with an extremely talented and dedicated medical staff, nurses and host of support staff who enable us to provide the care we feel all expectant mothers and newborns deserve.”

Sleepy Eye Medical Center is a critical access hospital independently owned and operated by the City of Sleepy Eye. Since its construction in 1941, several renovations and improvements have taken place, allowing it to meet the ever-changing health care needs of Sleepy Eye and surrounding communities.

The facility provides care to patients at Sleepy Eye clinic and hospital plus satellite clinics in Morgan and Comfrey.

For more information about the Women’s Choice Awards, visit http://www.womenschoiceaward.com

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.