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NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital was presented with the prestigious "Guardian of Excellence Award" ^® by Press Ganey Associates Inc. at the organization’s 2013 National Conference on November 18-20 in Orlando, Fla.

The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing facilities that consistently achieve at or above the 95th percentile. NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital was recognized in particular for achieving this level of excellence in patient satisfaction with its ambulatory and surgical services.

"This is no easy feat," said NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital President John Federspiel. "To qualify, our medical and employee staff - from pre-surgical services through recovery - had to receive a 95 percent or above rating from our patients, every month for an entire year. This speaks volumes about the quality of care provided by our medical and employee staff. I am very proud to lead such a dedicated team."

The Press Ganey "Guardian of Excellence Award" is a healthcare industry symbol of achievement. Fewer than 5 percent of all Press Ganey members reach this threshold and consistently maintain it for the one year reporting period. Press Ganey partners with more than 10,000 health care facilities, including more than half of all U.S. hospitals, to measure and improve the patient experience.

"We are proud to partner with NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital," said Patrick T. Ryan, CEO of Press Ganey. "Achieving this level of excellence reflects the organization’s commitment to delivering outstanding service and quality. NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital’s efforts benefit their community and will lead to improved patient experiences."

Susan Krzykowski, Clinical Nurse Manager of Ambulatory Surgery, said maintaining a 95 percent rating each month is a delicate balancing act that involves strict attention to detail and excellent communication and coordination among the different hospital departments that serve the surgery center.

"It’s a huge honor that validates how hard the medical and employee staff works as a team, said Krzykowski. "We are all very excited."

Kathy Webster, Vice President of Patient Services, and Debbie Neuendorf, Vice President of Administration, accepted the award at this week’s conference and presented background on what led to the hospital’s achievement.

This year’s national conference at the Marriot Orlando Word Center featured keynote speakers former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Biggest Loser Wellness Coach Jillian Michaels and Best-Selling Author Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon at Boston's Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Press Ganey is a leader in performance improvement for nearly 30 years.