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For the second year in a row, Ashtabula Regional Medical Center ranks among the top hospitals in the nation, based on ranking released by the Lown Institute.

ARMC earned an ‘A’ rating in six categories – Community Benefit, Social Responsibility, Value of Care, Inclusivity, Health Equity, and Avoiding Overuse. In addition, ARMC was ranked in the Top 5 in Ohio for Health Equity and Community Benefit and ARMC was also ranked among the top hospitals in the nation for Fair Share Spending. It is the second year in a row for ARMC to be recognized for Community Benefit and Fair Share Spending.

The Lown Institute advocates for socially responsible hospitals that set a higher standard for health outcomes, value of care, and equity. The Lown Hospitals Index is the first ranking to examine hospital social responsibility, calculating scores across 53 different metrics to capture performance in what really matters to the communities they serve. Data is obtained from publicly available sources, including Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage claims, CMS patient safety data and hospital cost reports, and IRS 990 forms.

Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute, said, “Socially responsible hospitals are trusted to provide high-quality care to all, and their success directly improves the health and economic stability of their communities.”

ARMC’s ‘A’ rating for Social Responsibility puts it in the Top 10 hospitals in the state for performance across health equity, value, and outcomes.

“For 120 years, ARMC caregivers have prided themselves on providing safe, high-quality care to our friends and neighbors throughout our community. To be named among the Top 5 hospitals in the state and among the best in the nation is an honor we are proud to accept,” ARMC Healthcare System President and CEO Leonard Stepp, Jr. said. “Caring for our community goes far beyond the clinical aspect of healthcare. It includes ensuring that every patient is treated with dignity and respect, being wise stewards of resources, and that we give back to our community. The recognition by the Lown Institute shows that ARMC is doing all of that and more. I am humbled and proud to represent an organization with such dedicated caregivers who have strong values that are patient centric.”

In addition to the ‘A’ rating for Social Responsibility, ARMC earned ‘A’ ratings for:

• Community Benefit: Measures the extent of hospital investment in free care and community health.
• Value of Care: Reflects the hospital’s avoidance of unnecessary care and ability to achieve good outcomes without overspending.
• Inclusivity: Measures the extent to which patients are demographically similar to those in the surrounding community.
• Health Equity: A composite of inclusivity, community benefit, and pay equity.
• Avoiding Overuse: Measures the avoidance of inappropriate tests and procedures that offer little or no clinical benefit.

ARMC also ranked as a top hospital for Fair Share Spending. ARMC is in the top 325 nonprofit, tax-exempt hospitals out of more than 2,400 that were evaluated that spent more money on charity care and community investment than the value of its tax exemptions.

The Lown Hospitals Index for Social Responsibility is the only ranking to include metrics of health equity and value of care alongside patient outcomes, creating a holistic view of hospitals as total community partners. The Lown Institute is a nonpartisan think tank that generates bold ideas for a radically better system of health.