ADVANCE Magazine for Nurses

• Nurses Choice Award - 2008, 2009, 2010

Post Tribune

• 2009 Hospital Neighbor’s Choice Award

Hobart Chamber of Commerce

• Large Business of the Year 2008

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval

• Joint Academy for Knee Replacement 2010
• Joint Academy for Hip Replacement 2010
• Stroke Center of Excellence 2010

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

• Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement through Joint Academy 2010

Lake Area United Way

• Hospital of the Year for exemplary employee contributions two years in a row 2009-2010

Press Ganey

• Compass Award for Greatest Patient Satisfaction Improvement over two years, Ambulatory Surgery - 2008
• Compass Award for Greatest Patient Satisfaction Improvement over two years, Outpatient Services - 2008
• Quarterly Improvement Certificate for Ambulatory Surgery 2010
• Quarterly Improvement Certificate for Emergency Department 2010

Northwest Indiana Quarterly

• Best of Regional Hospital Runner Up 2009

The Joint Commission

The Joint Commission recognizes St. Mary Medical Center for meeting the national standards set for medical staff, hospital personnel, patient care and all aspects of the hospital’s operation. The Joint Commission has awarded Accreditation to St. Mary Medical Center, signifying exemplary performance. St. Mary Medical Center is:

• Accredited by The Joint Commission

Society of Chest Pain Center

• Accredited by Society of Chest Pain Center (Full accreditation Chest with PCI 2011)

AACVPR

• Accredited by American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (Cardiac Rehabilitation Program 2011)

American College of Radiology

• Accredited by American College of Radiology (Women’s Diagnostic Center as a Breast Cancer of Excellence 2011)
• Accredited by American College of Radiology (Stereotactic Breast Biopsy 2010)
• Accredited by the American College of Radiology for Mammography Services

American College of Radiology

• Accredited by American College of Radiology (MRI 2011)

American College of Radiology

• Accredited by American College of Radiology (CT certification with special pediatric imaging designation 2010)

Other Accreditations

• Accredited by American College of Surgeons (ACOS- Commission on Cancer 2011)
• Accredited by the College of American Pathologists (Medical Laboratory and Nuclear Medicine)
• Accredited through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (Nuclear Medicine Department)
• Accredited by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for Mammography Services
• Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities Licensed by the Indiana State Department of Health
• Licensed Laboratory by CMS - Centers for Medicare/Medicaid
• Accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks
• Accredited by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (2011-2013, Hospital & Home Health)
• Accredited by College of American Pathologists
• CLIA Laboratory Certification of Accreditation (lab and pathology)

U.S. News & World Report

The hospitals of Community Healthcare System are among the Best Hospitals in the greater Chicagoland area, according to U.S. News & World Report’s first metro area ranking. The rankings single out some 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.

To be ranked in a metro area, hospitals need to score in the top 25 percent among its peers in at least one of 16 medical specialties. U.S. News created “Best Hospitals” more than 20 years ago to identify hospitals exceptionally skilled in handling the most difficult cases, such as brain tumors typically considered inoperable and delicate pancreatic procedures.

Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network

Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network has named the hospitals of Community Healthcare System a “Lifesaving Partner” for outstanding achievement in addressing the region’s critical need for organ, eye and tissue donations. The hospitals of Community Healthcare System have been selected among hundreds of hospital, forensic and civic professionals who work to help coordinate donation, enable lifesaving transplants, support the families of donors, educate other healthcare professionals and promote awareness of the critical need for donation.

Staff at the hospitals work throughout the year to coordinate outreach programs for donor families, organize registration drives and sponsor events relating to the Flags Across America program. At Community Hospital, St. Catherine Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center, the “Donate Life” flag is flown in honor of a donor for 48 hours as a silent salute. Each donor family receives a card with a garden-sized version of the flag as a keepsake and to honor the generous gift provided by their loved one.

50 Best Healthcare System

Community Healthcare System has been recognized in a study on hospital quality and efficiency as one of the nation's top 50 performing health systems. The study, by Thomson Reuters, offered a look at how this nation's healthcare systems are performing. It found significant differences between high and low-performing systems in terms of patient survival, complication, patient safety and how quickly patients may return to daily life.

Community Healthcare System has performed in the top 20 percent of healthcare systems nationwide for five measures of performance: mortality, complications, patient safety; length of stay and use of evidence-based practices. Top performing healthcare systems were found to have: 25 percent fewer mortalities; 19 percent fewer complications; 13 percent fewer patient safety incidents; better core measures compliance; and 16 percent shorter length of stay.

Fire Starter

The hospitals of Community Healthcare System have been presented with the Fire Starter award for operational excellence by the Studer Group®. This distinction is awarded to healthcare organizations across the United States that demonstrate marked improvements in patient satisfaction, employee workplace experience, and, reinvestment into their respective communities.

Chanute Prize

The Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana has awarded the hospitals of Community Healthcare System with the Chanute Prize for Team Innovation for the "Breast Care: Same-Day Results" project. Community Healthcare System's "Breast Care: Same Day Results" project consists of a fast-track system to advise women of the results of their screening mammograms within the same visit and should a non-surgical biopsy be required, know the results the same day the test is performed. The "Same-Day Results" program now spans all three Community Healthcare System facilities/Women's Diagnostic Centers.

American Association of Blood Banks

The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) has awarded full accreditation to the hospital laboratories of Community Healthcare System. AABB's accreditation program strives to improve the quality and safety of collecting, processing, testing, distributing and administering blood and blood products by assessing the quality and operational systems in place within a facility. The hospitals voluntarily seek accreditations from professional organizations, such as the AABB, to ensure that they are following nationally-recognized practices to deliver quality care.

CAP Accreditation

The Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded the laboratories of Community Healthcare System with a system-wide accreditation. While Community Healthcare System's facilities are part of some 6,800 laboratories that have received CAP-accreditation nationwide, there are only about 100 integrated system laboratories across the United States that have earned this same distinction. This stringent inspection program has been designed to ensure the highest standards of care for laboratory patients.