Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Named #1 Consumer Choice in Lake, Kenosha Counties

• best overall quality
• best doctors
• best nurses
• best image/reputation

“This is a tremendous honor for us,” President Bill Ries said. “It reflects the quality of our medical staff, nurses and all of the support team working together for our patients.”

The award identifies hospitals that health-care consumers have chosen as having the highest quality and image in 180 markets throughout the United States. The 2005/06 NRC Healthcare Market Guide study surveyed more than 200,000 households representing 400,000 consumers in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital won the award in the first year the National Research Corporation survey – the nation’s largest and most comprehensive consumer assessment of the health-care industry – could be done in the Lake/Kenosha market. Other 2005/06 Consumer Choice award winners include Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Froedtert Memorial Hospital in Milwaukee and Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, Ill.

“Consumers play an increasing role in selecting their health-care facilities and services,” said NRC Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Hays. “As more quality health-care information is made available, we expect this trend to increase. Consumer Choice award winners are selected by residents of the communities they serve. We are pleased to honor these facilities for their leadership in the delivery of quality health care.”

National Research Corporation is an industry leader with more that two decades of experience in health-care performance measurement and improvement. This is the 10 th year the firm has awarded hospitals whose consumers have recognized them for providing quality health-care services.

The NRC study has a margin of error of + or – 0.2 percent at a national level.