Silver Cross Proud to be Named Best Hospital for 3rd Year Running

For the third year in a row, Silver Cross Hospital is proud to be recognized as the Best Hospital, Best Emergency Room, and Best Place to Have a Baby in 22ndCentury Media’s annual Southwest Choice Awards.

“We’re humbled and honored to have been chosen for the third year in a row,” said Peggy Gricus, Vice President of Patient Care and Chief Nursing Officer at Silver Cross Hospital. “You can count on Silver Cross to provide you and your family the highest-quality care 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

In December 2017, Silver Cross also became the only hospital in Will, Kankakee and Grundy counties – and one of only 20 hospitals in Illinois – to be awarded a Five-Star rating, the highest possible score, by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on its Hospital Compare website at Medicare.gov. The ratings are designed to help consumers compare hospitals by evaluating safety, quality and patient experiences at more than 4,000 hospitals nationwide. Silver Cross was one of only nine percent of eligible hospitals in the United States to receive the overall Five-Star rating for 2017.

“For many, care starts in the Emergency Department – either at the hospital or our Silver Cross Emergency Care Center at 143rd St. and Bell Rd. in Homer Glen,” Gricus explained. “Both facilities are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are staffed by the same group of board-certified emergency medicine physicians trained to treat patients of all ages.”

The Silver Cross Emergency Department is designated as a Level II Trauma Center, Primary Stroke Center, and recognized by the Illinois Department of Public Health to care for pediatric patients. Silver Cross also has an Urgent Care center on Joliet’s west side to provide after-hours medical care for sudden illnesses and injuries that don’t warrant a trip to the Emergency Department. For added convenience, patients can reserve an appointment online through SCHedule Now atwww.silvercross.org.

And for patients with minor illnesses who need access to quality medical care when it’s not possible or practical to see a doctor in person, Silver Cross has partnered with Teladoc. Patients can talk with a doctor via phone or video 24/7/365 for just $49 per consultation. To access, visit www.silvercross.org

Best Place to Have a Baby
Choosing where to have a baby is a major decision. When expectant families choose Silver Cross, they can be confident they’re receiving care that meets the highest standards for quality, safety and outcomes.
In fact, that’s why Silver Cross recently earned the Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care designation from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. Blue Distinction Centers show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes, based on objective measures that were developed with input from the medical community.

Silver Cross combines cutting-edge medical technology with spa-like amenities, including 12 luxurious birthing suites and 30 private mother-baby suites to make the birthing experience unforgettable. For deliveries requiring surgery, there are three complete Cesarean suites. And since Silver Cross is a Level II Nursery with extended capabilities, fewer babies need to be transferred to specialized neonatal care centers.

Parents can also feel confident knowing that Silver Cross has pediatricians and neonatologists fromLurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago as well as OB/GYNs and anesthesiologists available at all times. And if needed, Lurie Children’s pediatric cardiologists can analyze a baby’s echocardiogram in real time through a video linkage with Silver Cross. For more information or a referral to an obstetrician/gynecologist on staff at Silver Cross, visit www.silvercross.org.

Winners of 22nd Century Media’s 2018 Southwest Choice Awards were honored at a ceremony, Feb. 28 at the Tinley Park Convention Center in Tinley Park and listed in all 7 newspapers on March 15. Several physicians and physician groups on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff also received awards including Dr. Christopher Udovich, Best Doctor; Women’s Healthcare of Illinois, Best OB/GYN; Parkview Orthopaedic Group, Best Orthopedic; and Dr. Paul Kirchner, Best Podiatrist. For more information about the hospital or a referral to a physician on staff at Silver Cross, visitwww.silvercross.org.