At a recent presentation ceremony Sound Shore Medical Center President and CEO, John R. Spicer, accepted the 2009 Premier Award for Quality from Premier Regional Vice President, Charles Hagen.

The Premier Award for Quality (AFQ) recognizes SSMC as one of the nation’s top hospitals for commitment to outstanding patient care and operational efficiency. Out of nearly 3,800 eligible hospitals, SSMC was one of only 23 selected nationwide and the only one in New York State - to receive the 2009 Premier Award for Quality (AFQ). The AFQ recognizes leading healthcare organizations that efficiently provide outstanding patient care and consistently set the standard in clinical excellence nationwide. Performance-based criteria, including clinical quality outcomes, resource utilization and clinical process indicators are considered as well as the overall hospital level. All acute care inpatient facilities in the United States that submit data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the CMS Hospital Compare project are considered.

John R. Spicer, President and CEO of Sound Shore Medical Center commenting on the announcement said, “We are pleased to have the quality of our patient care recognized by the nation’s most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information.” He concluded, “Attaining the top one percent designation is a reflection of the commitment Sound Shore Medical Center’s physicians and staff have to providing quality care to each and every patien. I am accepting this award on their behalf.”