Press Ganey has named Mercy Health — Harrison Medical Center a 2020 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner. The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing health care 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 health care. Presented annually, the award honors clients who consistently sustained performance in the top 5% of all Press Ganey clients for each reporting period over the course of one year.

Press Ganey surveys patients following visits to a health care facility or doctor. The team at Harrison Medical Center consistently scored top marks from patients in survey areas including likelihood to recommend, overall rating and teamwork.

"Initially established as the first freestanding emergency department in the country in 1984 by the Franciscan Health System, and known then as the PAC Center, the team at Mercy Health — Harrison Medical Center has been dedicated to serving Harrison and the surrounding communities of southeastern Indiana for over 35 years,” says Emergency Department Nursing Director Beth Pierce. “Most of the staff who work at Harrison Medical Center live in the community and feel that they are taking care of their friends and neighbors as they provide vital emergency care services close to home. The personal care this awesome team provides is evident in the positive feedback we receive from our patients.”

“The caregivers and staff of Mercy Health — Harrison Medical Center touch the lives of patients and their families in profound ways,” said Patrick T. Ryan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Press Ganey. “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 Mercy Health — West Hospital President Michael Kramer, who oversees Harrison Medical Center, the award represents an important recognition from the industry’s leader in measuring, understanding, and improving the delivery of care.