FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2020
Saratoga Hospital Achieves Magnet Status—Again
Recognition for fourth time underscores commitment to nursing excellence
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., August 31, 2020—Saratoga Hospital has once again been awarded Magnet recognition for nursing excellence—the highest national honor for professional nursing practice.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center, which administers the Magnet Recognition Program®, announced Saratoga Hospital’s redesignation last week. It marks the fourth time the hospital has attained Magnet status.
“The Magnet Recognition Program holds hospitals to the highest standards, and that makes a difference to everyone who turns to us for care,” said Mary Jo LaPosta, Ph.D., R.N., chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient care and organizational excellence at Saratoga Hospital.
She emphasized that, although it’s awarded by ANCC, “Magnet designation isn’t just for nurses. It acknowledges the culture of excellence that permeates the entire Saratoga Hospital organization.”
Studies show Magnet recognition provides significant benefits, including:
- Lower risk of 30-day mortality.
- Lower risk of failure to rescue from complications.
- Higher patient satisfaction with nurse communication, availability of help and receipt of discharge information.
- Higher job satisfaction levels among nurses.
Because of the program’s emphasis on new knowledge and continuing education, Magnet hospitals tend to have a higher percentage of nurses with advanced degrees. That is true at Saratoga Hospital, where nurses are encouraged to continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree and to pursue specialty certifications.
LaPosta gives much of the credit to the community and its support for Saratoga Hospital’s Nursing Scholarship Program. “Each year, community generosity helps us sustain a nursing workforce whose knowledge, skills and compassion have a direct, positive impact on patient care,” she said.
The gold standard for nursing excellence, Magnet recognition is considered when the public judges healthcare organizations. In fact, U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals” includes Magnet recognition in its ranking criteria for quality of inpatient care.
Saratoga Hospital is a U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Hospital for 2020-2021, placing 1st in Northern New York, 3rd in the Albany region and 22nd in New York state. The hospital has been a Magnet facility since 2004, when it became the first in the Capital Region to attain this designation. Statewide, 30 hospitals have been awarded Magnet recognition. Two are in the Capital Region.
“To earn Magnet designation even once is a significant achievement,” LaPosta said. “To attain Magnet status four times sends a powerful message about the caliber of our nurses and our organizationwide commitment to the highest quality patient care.”
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About Saratoga Hospital: Saratoga Hospital is the Saratoga region’s leading healthcare provider and the only acute-care facility in Saratoga County. The hospital’s multispecialty practice, Saratoga Hospital Medical Group, provides care at more than 20 locations, ensuring easy access to programs and services that can have the greatest impact on individual and community health. Saratoga Hospital has maintained Magnet designation for nursing excellence since 2004. The hospital is an affiliate of the Albany Med Health System, which also includes Albany Med, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital. The region’s largest locally governed health system, it has 1,520 beds, more than 800 physicians and 125 outpatient locations. For more information: www.saratogahospital.org or www.facebook.com/SaratogaHospital.
About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program: The Magnet Recognition Program—administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world—identifies healthcare organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice. The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursingworld.org/magnet.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter M. Hopper
Director, Marketing and Communications
518-583-8679
phopper@saratogahospital.org