Areas of recognition:
- Quality and Value
- Cardiology
- Diabetes
- Gynecology and Maternity
- Intensive Care Unit
- Imaging/Diagnostics
- Orthopedics
- Stroke
Quality and Value
Joint Commission Accreditation (2021-2024)
Joint Commission accreditation is a voluntary process consisting of rigorous, unannounced site surveys by a team of physicians, nurses and other health executives. Commission accredited or certified organizations have demonstrated that they meet the highest standards in their field. All Catholic Health hospitals have earned accreditation by The Joint Commission.
Age-Friendly Health Systems (2021 to present)
Health care organizations who join the Age-Friendly Health Systems movement adopt and demonstrate progress toward implementation of the 4Ms framework, four evidence-based practices, that lay the groundwork for optimizing care and outcomes for older adults, improving provider experience, supporting caregivers, and pursuing value-based methods of care. The 4M’s include: What Matters to older adults, their Medication, their Mentation, and their Mobility.
Cardiology
U.S. News & World Report High Performing Hospital for Heart Attack Care (2022-23)
Mercy Hospital was nationally ranked as a High Performing Hospital by U.S. News & World Report, recognizing excellence in heart attack care.
Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) - Three-Star National Quality Rating for The Heart Center at Mercy (July 2019-June 2022)
Earned the Highest Quality 3-Star Ratings from STS for heart bypass surgery and aortic valve replacement combined with bypass surgery, and rated in the top 3.1% in the nation for reporting period July 2019 to June 2022. A “three-star” rating is the highest award under the STS quality rating system.
Awarded the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Gold Quality Achievement Award in Heart Attack Care (2021) and Bronze Plus Award (2022)
Blue Distinction Center+ for Cardiac Care (2022-23)
Designated Blue Distinction Center Plus for Cardiac Care by BlueCross BlueShield for quality care. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program recognizes hospitals across the country that have a proven track record for delivering better results – including fewer complications and readmissions – than hospitals without these recognitions.
Diabetes
American Association of Diabetes Educators - Accreditation of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support
The American Association of Diabetes Educators has recognized Catholic Health’s Diabetes Education as meeting the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support.
Gynecology and Maternity
US News and World Report “Best Maternity Hospital” and “High Performing Hospital” for Maternity Care
Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care (2022-23)
Designated Blue Distinction Center Plus for Maternity Care by BlueCross BlueShield for quality care. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program recognizes hospitals across the country that have a proven track record for delivering better results – including fewer complications and readmissions – than hospitals without these recognitions.
Intensive Care Unit
Beacon Award for Excellence in ICU Care (2017 - 2022):
Mercy Hospital’s ICU patient care services team earned the prestigious Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), recognizing exceptional patient care and adherence to consistent evidence-based standards to optimize patient outcomes.
Imaging / Diagnostics
AIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine) - Obstetric Ultrasound and Fetal Echocardiography Accreditation for the Mercy Perinatal Testing Center (since 2011)
Learn about imaging services at Catholic Health.
Orthopedics
BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York - Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement (2020)
Designated Blue Distinction Center Plus for Knee and Hip Replacement by BlueCross BlueShield for quality care. The Blue Distinction Centers for Specialty Care® program recognizes hospitals across the country that have a proven track record for delivering better results – including fewer complications and readmissions – than hospitals without these recognitions.
Stroke
Joint Commission - Comprehensive Stroke Center (2022-2024)
Recognized as an industry leader in providing advanced stroke care, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo has been named a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, the nation’s leading accrediting body for hospitals and health providers.
Offered in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, this advanced certification recognizes an elite group of hospitals that have highly specialized staff, equipment and facilities to treat the most complex stroke cases.
Mercy Hospital is the only hospital in Western New York to earn this special designation.
New York State Department of Health - Designated Stroke Center (since 2007)
Stroke Center Designation assures patients that Mercy Hospital meets the State’s stringent guidelines for stroke care. This includes being seen by a physician within 15 minutes of arrival in the ER; receiving a CT scan within 25 minutes; interpretation of CT results in 45 minutes; lab results in 45 minutes; and clot busting drugs within 60 minutes of arrival or 3 hours of symptom onset and catheter-based techniques than enable treatment up to 8 hours from symptom onset.
American Heart Association Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards for Stroke Care (Since 2013)
For the tenth consecutive year, Mercy Hospital's Stroke Center earned American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s “Get with the Guidelines” Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award and Target: Honor Roll Elite Plus, the AHA’s highest level of hospital recognition
Mercy Hospital has achieved 85% or higher compliance with all Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Achievement Measures and 75% or higher compliance with five or more Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Quality Measures for two or more consecutive years. Mercy Hospital delivered Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy in 60 minutes or less in 75% or more of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA. The hospital also delivered Intravenous Thrombolytic Therapy within 45 minutes in 50% of applicable acute ischemic stroke patients treated with IV tPA to improve quality of patient care and outcomes.