EIRMC among nation's best for patient safety

Idaho Falls, Idaho — Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC) ranked among the nation’s best hospitals for patient safety, according to Healthgrades’ 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award™. 

The prestigious award recognizes hospitals nationwide that provide quality care while preventing serious safety events. The 304-bed facility in Idaho Falls was recognized for being in the top 10% nationally for patient safety. 

“We’re proud of what this recognition signals to the tens of thousands of Idahoans who trust us with their care needs each year,” said Dr. Patricia Howell, EIRMC’s chief medical officer. “Being in the nation’s top 10% for safety is an accomplishment that we can only achieve with our entire team working together to protect patients and deliver high-quality care.” 

EIRMC and its sister hospital, West Valley Medical Center, are the only Idaho hospitals to receive the Patient Safety Excellence Award. The two award-winning hospitals are proud to be part of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of health services. Together, they cared for Idahoans in more than 90,000 patient interactions in 2023. 

The Patient Safety Excellence Award is based on an analysis of inpatient MedPAR data that measures clinical performance across 13 patient safety indicators. Healthgrades' analysis revealed that patients treated at recipient hospitals are less likely to experience the following safety events compared to patients treated at non-recipient hospitals: 

• In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (approximately 52% less likely)
• Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56% less likely)
• Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67% less likely)
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71% less likely) 

“As the region’s largest medical facility, we take pride in offering the highest level of care in Eastern Idaho, with services like a Level II Trauma Center, Idaho’s only burn center, and one of the state’s only two Level 1 ICUs,” Howell added. “Those capabilities combined with this recognition for being one of the safest hospitals in the nation makes EIRMC a facility that families in our area can trust.” 

See the complete award methodology for more information on how Healthgrades rates hospital quality.