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Frequent tanning can signal excessive concern over image and vulnerability to taking health risks, researcher says Getty Images People who often sunbathe or use tanning beds are more likely to try risky weight-loss methods and have cosmetic surgery, as well as get tattoos and piercings. But while people who seldom tan also may try unsafe diets and cosmetic surgery, they rarely opt for tattoos or piercings, according to a Baylor University study. "When compared to infrequent tanners, frequent body-tanners — regardless of whether they are tanned by ultraviolet light from the sun, ultraviolet light from a tanning bed or methods such as tanning sprays that do not involve UV light — showed significantly higher behavioral intentions to engage in risky appearance-related behaviors overall," said Jay Yoo, Ph.D., associate professor of family and consumer sciences in Baylor's Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. "Safer tanners, on the other hand, are more concerned about modifying their bodies in ways such as tattoos and piercing that may carry a stigma," Yoo said. Most skin cancer prevention campaigns have emphasized avoidance of getting sunburned, reducing UV exposure and applying sunscreen, but they have neglected the individual's experience with social and appearance concerns, he said. But "Excessive tanning can serve as a possible sign of overt concern over body image, with vulnerability to greater health risks," Yoo said. His research article — "A Study of the Relationships between Tanning Methods and the Intention to Engage in Risky Appearance-Related Behaviors" — is published in Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal. Data for the study was collected from an online survey of 395 female college students in the southern United States. The major contributor to skin cancer is frequent exposure to ultraviolet rays, with skin cancer the most common — and one of the most preventable — types of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Ironically, previous research has found that many people choose to tan because they believe a tan makes them look thinner and more fit, Yoo said. Tanning has gone in and out of fashion, Yoo noted. Tans at one time were associated with lower classes who worked outdoors — in contrast with the Southern belles of more than a century ago, who used parasols to protect their skin and to look pale and refined. In the 1920s, fashion designer Coco Chanel started a fad after accidentally getting sunburned while visiting the French Riviera, Yoo said. Tanning remained popular, with high-fashion models often sporting tans, whether from UV exposure or sprays and bronzers. And these days, some people sport tattoos along with their tans, he said. The study found that: Frequent tanners who expose themselves to UV rays through sunbathing or tanning beds have the strongest intentions to engage in a wider range of risky appearance-related behaviors when compared to infrequent tanners or spray tanners. Such behaviors include extreme weight control methods, such as diet pills, self-induced vomiting, laxatives and diuretics; cosmetic surgery and Botox injections; spa treatments, such as hair removal by waxing (which has been associated with rashes and infections) and gel nail polish (done with UV curing and associated with DNA damage to the skin that can result in premature aging and possibly cancer; and tattoos or piercings. Infrequent tanners, as well as "safe" tanners who seek to achieve an ideal tan without ultraviolet methods (sprays, lotions or bronzers) are much less likely to engage in behaviors that may convey certain stereotypes, such as tattoos or piercings with visual symbols or messages. But they are willing to try other risky appearance-related behaviors. Yoo suggested that intervention strategies adapted for healthcare providers to reduce UV exposure and skin cancer could use stigmatization — perhaps through images of tattooed or pierced individuals who also are tanned. "A negative stigma attached to UV exposure can create ambivalence in our society about achieving a tanned appearance," Yoo said. "This could decrease the popularity of tanning in much the same way the negative stereotyping of smoking and education about its health risks have reduced the number of people who smoke." He noted that in the 1940s and 1950s, smoking was idealized, especially in Hollywood movies, but "there has been a cultural shift," he said. "One way to change the appeal of tanning would be to make it un-cool," Yoo said. "If I tan and people look at me funny, I'm not going to tan anymore." While another way to stigmatize tanning would be to stress the health consequences, "for young people it may be more effective to emphasize the appearance," Yoo said. "The tanning that makes me attractive now may be counteracted for the long haul because at 50 or 60, I may have leathery skin. "Given that tanning emerged as a fashion trend, gradual attitudes toward dangerous tanning can be made possible in a similar fashion," he said.
New Policy on BMI Use Will Change How Physicians Approach Diagnoses and Care
The Body Mass Index – or BMI – table was created in the mid-1800s, and for the last several decades has been viewed as the choice tool to diagnose obesity. However, the American Medical Association (AMA) recently issued a policy clarifying the role of BMI after taking a comprehensive look at both its benefits and limitations as a diagnostic tool. In short, the new policy urges physicians to use BMI only in conjunction with other measures of risk and recognizes the historical shortcomings of the oft-used formula. Lisa Diewald, MS, RDN, LDN, is the program manager of the MacDonald Center for Nutrition Education and Research with Villanova’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. She applauds the AMA for embracing a more holistic approach to weight and health in individuals. “This is a huge step forward and I think it will ultimately lead to better health care and an improved practitioner-patient relationship,” Diewald said. To understand why, one must first understand the history of BMI’s use. The formula that spits out the number we have all come to understand as our BMI considers a person’s height and weight. It was developed in the mid-19th century by a Belgian sociologist to measure the socially ideal person. The modern term and application came about in the 1972 and has been a routine measurement ever since because it is easy, fast, costs nothing and in some cases, said Diewald, does correlate with body fat. But in recent years, large scale studies have exposed some of the limitations of the measure, building to the point where they needed to be weighed against the overt benefits. For starters, BMI does not measure body fat – or adiposity – directly. Adiposity, per Diewald, is more closely associated with health risk than BMI. “For this reason, health risk for some individuals with normal BMI but high body fat has been underestimated, and some with high BMI but normal body fat levels have been overestimated,” she said. Nor does it “differentiate between muscle, bone and body fat, or distribution of fat on the body,” Diewald said. “We know that all these factors can influence health and chronic disease risk.” Other comorbidities or chronic conditions that wouldn’t show up on a BMI chart alongside a number in the “normal” range can also impact health. Conversely, there are health conditions that might be incorrectly assumed just because a BMI is high. “Not every person with a high BMI experiences these chronic conditions, so developing a more holistic approach can lead to better assessment, treatment and outcomes,” Diewald said. Another shortfall she pointed out was its failure to factor in gender, race, body composition, ethnicity or physical activity level. Think back to the origins of the chart, intended to be a social standard created in Europe nearly two hundred years ago. “BMI tables were originally designed in the 1800’s using a population of white men,” Diewald said. “Understandably, at one point in time it was all we had to evaluate weight status, but it may not be accurate to use this standard alone with all groups of people.” These societal, gender and racial/ethnic factors led the AMA to explicitly cite “historical harm, use for racist exclusion and because BMI is based primarily on data collected from previous generations of non-Hispanic white populations” in the new policy on its clinical use. Additionally, the policy addressed the differences in body composition across genders, races and ages that were not being considered. There is also an ignored mental component in its use to diagnose obesity, which can lead to avoidance of doctor visits and, in turn, further physical issues. “Obesity is a multifactorial, complex condition and addressing it with individuals needs to be done with empathy and sensitivity, beginning with how it is measured,” Diewald said. “There are numerous factors influencing weight well beyond simply food intake, physical activity level and BMI, so it is important for practitioners to recognize that and communicate this to patients. “It is extremely difficult for people with higher weight to be told that they have a high BMI and simply need to eat less and move more. When BMI is used as the sole indicator of weight status, this can be psychologically damaging. We know that many who have been told to lose weight simply based on a high BMI may avoid going to the doctors for routine medical visits and skip necessary preventive care.” It will not be easy, she said, to move away from a method used for so long that has been ingrained as a part of a routine medical visit, but Diewald thinks utilization of the tool in conjunction with other assessments is the best way put this new policy to practice. She advocates for measures such as “Using BMI as only one of several indicators of chronic disease risk, asking permission to discuss weight and health risk, [and] using shared decision-making between practitioners and patient to determine course of treatment.” Education is also paramount to proper assessment of weight-related health risks. “Education cannot stop with physicians, however,” she said. “I think this provides an excellent launching pad for enhanced collaboration among health professionals such as dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants and others involved in providing care, nutrition counseling and lifestyle modification support to patients… Doing this can better fine tune recommendations for treatment, leading to improved outcomes.”
Electric vehicles are hitting the streets, but there are potholes to avoid
No doubt about it, electric vehicles are coming and coming fast. Production of EVs has ramped up in the last couple of years but there are many issues that need to be addressed before they become the everyday choice for consumers. Richard Franza, PhD, professor of management at the Hull College of Business at Augusta University said the timing of EVs is contingent on a few things. “It’s not a question of if they’re coming, but how fast will they be here,” said Franza. “One is the speed at which there is infrastructure built for them. There are still not a lot of places to charge a car. We need more charging stations. Eventually, EVs will be predominant.” Franza added a second hurdle is how fast the federal government moves on emissions requirements that will cause consumers to phase out fossil fuel vehicles. Georgia has become one of the leaders in luring EV manufacturers to call the state home. Not just that, but the state is also drawing in companies that supply batteries and other components. “Any time you build a manufacturing or assembly facility, you automatically get the suppliers around them. Even before Georgia got the vehicle manufacturers, we already had a battery manufacturer, so Georgia already has a good network for the automobile industry,” said Franza. Amazon has already made a major investment in EVs and Franza expects other companies like FedEx and UPS, companies that have a fleet of vehicles, to make the switch to EVs as well, since they have more ability to set up charging networks. The biggest question remains: how long it will take before EVs become more prevalent on the streets? Franza said the answer could depend on who you listen to, but other factors come into play. “Right now, electric vehicles account for less than 1% of the vehicles on the road. So I see two leading indicators – the number of gas stations vs. the number of charging stations, and the production of combustion engines vs. electric vehicles. Look for when the ratios of those really start to change, but it’s not black and white. There are several factors that will go into that and it could take longer than people are saying,” Franza said. Covering EVs and the auto industry? Then let us help. Richard Franza, PhD, is available to speak with media about trending issues like inflation, small business and the economy – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Georgia Southern University biology professor and researcher Christine Bedore, Ph.D., is helping National Geographic explore the mysteries of shark attacks by sharing her expertise and years of fieldwork as part of the six-part series, “When Sharks Attack 360,” this month. The series, which kicked off July 3, is part of National Geographic’s SharkFest, which will run all month on National Geographic TV, Disney+ and Nat Geo WILD, with new episodes each night through July 11. All episodes are currently available for streaming on Hulu. In episodes 3 and 6, Bedore, an assistant professor in the College of Science and Mathematics who conducts research on sensory systems in sharks, discusses how shark senses may lead to bites by sharks on humans. While filming, she marveled at the channel’s cutting-edge VFX lab and their approach to educating viewers. “Working with National Geographic and the production team on this series was exciting because of the level of experience and creativity of the production team,” said Bedore. “It’s one of the most unique experiences I’ve had filming a documentary so far since it was done in a studio with a green screen, rather than in the field like we typically do. Using the virtual graphics in this series allows us to see these animals from a completely different angle. Although it was challenging to point at a shark that I couldn’t see at the time, we wouldn’t be able to see the detail of the animal at this level filming in the field.” Sharks have long captured the attention of both scientists and the public, and are fascinating animals for many reasons, according to Bedore, who has offered her expertise for previous episodes on Nat Geo WILD, The History Channel and BBC. They’re a species of immense size and diversity, and offer unique behaviors and interactions with other creatures, she noted. Understanding the behavior and physiology of sharks is critical to their survival, as they experience population declines due to overfishing and habitat changes. “In order to combat these changes and ensure the persistence of sharks in our oceans across the world, we first need to understand why they behave the way that they do,” Bedore said. “This series helps us do exactly that. For example, in episode 3 we discuss whether or not sharks can see in color. As a scientist that studies shark color vision, I’m often approached with the question, ‘who cares if sharks can see color?’ As you’ll see, the ability to see color could help sharks identify prey, predators or other objects.” In episode 6, Bedore helps viewers understand that visual acuity, or how clear an image is, may be more important than color when we think about why sharks sometimes have negative interactions with humans. “Being able to discuss my work in these areas through National Geographic’s shark month has been a rewarding experience in helping people understand why these events sometimes happen,” she said. “It’s exciting to study such charismatic animals and have the chance to share your enthusiasm for your research and the sharks with people across the world.” For more information on National Geographic’s “When Sharks Attack 360” visit here. The series can be seen on Hulu, Disney+ and Nat Geo WILD throughout July. To connect with Georgia Southern University biology professor and researcher Christine Bedore to learn more about this fascinating topic - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Florida Tech Shark Biologist Stars in National Geographic Program on Shark Attacks
Toby Daly-Engel, the distinguished shark biologist and director of Florida Tech’s Shark Conservation Lab, is a featured expert on “When Sharks Attack…and Why,” an eight-episode program debuting this week as part of National Geographic’s SharkFest 2023. The series debuts July 6 at 9 p.m. Eastern on National Geographic with new episodes airing nightly through July 12. It is also now streaming on Disney+, Hulu and the National Geographic website. The series will air on Nat Geo Wild starting July 26 at 8 p.m. Eastern. As its name suggests, “When Sharks Attack…and Why” investigates shark encounters in America and around the world. “Many attacks are appearing in new and surprising places,” the network notes. Episodes explore incidents in New York, California, Hawaii, Indonesia, Australia and elsewhere. At Florida Tech, Daly-Engel conducts research using a combination of genomics, field ecology and modeling to study shark mating systems and habitat use, and the impacts of climate change on shark populations. On the program, she is our expert guide to anatomical and physiological aspects of sharks, many of which are unique to this species. We first meet Daly-Engel in Episode 1, New York Nightmare. Filmed in her lab, she talks viewers through key parts of a shark’s body using a small dogfish shark. She tells viewers that while a shark’s sense of smell is often touted, these apex predators also have powerful hearing, far better than humans. (In a later episode, she notes a shark’s vision in murky waters is about 10 times stronger than human vision in those conditions.) “I really enjoyed delving into the science behind shark-human interactions,” Daly-Engel said, “and busting the myths that make people afraid of the water.” Daly-Engel is no stranger to SharkFest. Last year she was featured in another SharkFest series, “Shark Attack File,” and she has been on SharkFest and Discovery’s Shark Week programing multiple times, including 2021 when she appeared on three programs across both networks. Looking to know more about shark encounters and attacks? Then let us help with your coverage and questions. Toby Daly-Engel is an assistant professor in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences department at Florida Tech. He's available to speak with media about this topic - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
MEDIA RELEASE: CAA Announces Provincial School Safety Award, Winners
Two students who calmly helped rescue their peers and a supervisor who has ensured the safety of her patrollers for three decades are being recognized for their efforts. Isabelle Wallace, 12, and Chase Rodgers, 12, received the 2022-2023 CAA School Safety Patroller of the Year award in recognition of their quick response when the school bus they were travelling on slid into a ditch in March. Ashley Hopkins, the vice principal of Primrose Elementary School in Mulmur, Ontario nominated the pair, “they jumped right into action, making sure all students were okay and reassuring them that they were safe,” she said. Using the skills they learned through the CAA School Safety Patrol program, the two helped the bus driver evacuate the bus and escorted their fellow classmates to safety while they waited for help, said Hopkins. Stephanie Pennesi, who is winding down her 31-year teaching career at June Avenue Public School in Guelph, received the CAA School Safety Patrol Supervisor of the Year award for her passion and dedication to the role of patrol supervisor, one she has held for 29 years. Constable Sherry Pettapiece with the Guelph Police and fellow patrol supervisor Dianne Chadder nominated her. Pennesi has been recognized for her dedication before, winning the City of Guelph’s Patrol Supervisor of the Year in 2008 and 2016. “Patrol Supervisors are an integral piece of the program, and Stephanie has been an amazing role model. The kids adore her, and I know I could always count on her professionalism and amazing depth of knowledge to help administer the program at June Avenue Public School,” says Constable Pettapiece. Pennesi has been recognized for her dedication before, winning the City of Guelph’s Patrol Supervisor of the year in 2008 and 2016. “The CAA School Safety Patrol program has kept students safe in school zones since the 1920s by helping students at school crossings and on school buses,” said Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president, CAA South Central Ontario. “Thank you to all our patrollers, teachers, schools, police, and busing consortiums partners who help make this important safety program a success,” she added. About 20,000 dedicated student volunteers participate in the CAA School Safety Patrol Program and give their time to help keep their peers safe at school crossings and on school buses in more than 900 schools across Ontario.
In this day and age, people of all ages are often on social media. While most of the platforms can be engaging for the good, there are always bad actors out there passing along misinformation. That’s the type of content younger students need to be aware of, according to an Augusta University faculty expert. Stacie Pettit, PhD, program director of the Master of Education in Instruction in the College of Education and Human Development, suggests there needs to be more media literacy and awareness of social media taught to students. With so many videos and posts claiming to be informative, how is one supposed to discern what is factual and what is not? Pettit feels people need to be more aware of how to tell when something is legit as opposed to something that is inaccurate. “Knowing what legitimate research is and what’s not, especially in this political climate, it can be tough to tell,” said Pettit. “More can be done in them understanding how deep it goes and what you search for, you’re going to get things that are skewing your mind to what you already want to believe. I feel like that component can be deeper.” Pettit realizes younger students know how to use social media, but using it in a responsible way can be just as important. People may post videos claiming one thing, but without fact checking, it may be inaccurate and can be a dangerous tool to mold a younger person’s mind. “If you already have your mind made up about something, you’re going to find things. It’s like the old phrase, ‘If you’re looking for a yellow cab, you’re going to find a yellow cab.’ This may be your context, your culture that you’re coming from, but put yourself in this place, how might they feel? Knowing there isn’t just one way to think about something, it’s not just a black and white answer to all these critical issues is important,” Pettit added. She knows it’s of the utmost importance for students to realize that every talking head they see in a video on social media isn’t always speaking the truth. Fact checking, finding another source to support a view and paying attention to the source in the first place can be key pieces of the puzzle students can use to find out the legitimacy of a post from the start. Amid all the misinformation, there are still plenty of legitimate uses for social media platforms. “There’s definitely educational and helpful things on YouTube. I encourage my kids a lot to go there because I’m trying to teach them to be more independent. She’s often like, ‘I don’t know how to do that’ but I tell her to find a video; this is what you’re going to have to do in college,” she said. If you're a journalist covering education and the impacts social media has on students, then let us help. Stacie Pettit, PhD, is a respected leader in middle level teacher education and meeting the needs of marginalized young adolescents. She's available to speak with media; simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
Richard G. Cuming Appointed Chief Operating Officer of ChristianaCare
(WILMINGTON, Del. – June 26, 2023) Richard G. Cuming, Ed.D., MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, has been named ChristianaCare’s chief operating officer (COO). Cuming has been serving as interim COO since the beginning of this calendar year. He joined ChristianaCare in 2016 as the system’s first Chief Nurse Executive. In his role as COO, Cuming oversees the delivery of efficient and fiscally responsible system operations. He also works with other leaders to ensure high-quality and safe patient care. “Ric has been an invaluable asset to ChristianaCare over the past seven years, especially in navigating the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and chief executive officer. “As leader of our extraordinary, Magnet®-designated nursing staff and president of ChristianaCare HomeHealth, he has improved the lives of patients and caregivers alike. I look forward to him flourishing in this new role.” Prior to coming to ChristianaCare, Cuming oversaw the operations and strategic direction of nursing services, perioperative and emergency services at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, Einstein Medical Center Elkins Park, MossRehab, Einstein Center One and Willowcrest, a skilled nursing center. Ric also previously worked at Jackson Health System in Miami as senior vice president and chief nursing executive, and he served as senior vice president and chief administrative officer at Jackson South Community Hospital. Cuming serves on the board of directors of the DAISY Foundation and board of trustees of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses Foundation. He was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing and is an alumnus of both the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Executive Nurse Fellowship Program and the Wharton School of Business General Management Program. Cuming earned his diploma of collegial studies in nursing at John Abbott College in Montreal, his Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Ottawa, his Master of Science in nursing at the University of Miami and his doctorate in adult education and human resource development with a minor in advanced nursing administration from Florida International University.
(WILMINGTON, Del. – June 22, 2023) For a fourth year in a row, Modern Healthcare has recognized ChristianaCare President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, as one of the nation’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. The publication praised her and ChristianaCare for the innovative work being done to extend the reach of the health system via new offerings, including Hospital Care at Home, ChristianaCare Business Health Solutions and Virtual Primary Care. “Dr. Nevin has a bold, courageous and clear-eyed vision for the future of health care regionally and nationally,” said Nicholas Marsini, chair of the Board of Directors of ChristianaCare. “In service of our system’s vision of creating health together so that every person can flourish, she has committed ChristianaCare to transforming care delivery by aspiring to keep people healthy at home, radically simplify access and much more.” Dr. Nevin has led ChristianaCare since 2014. Under her leadership the health system has experienced substantial growth and maintained a high level of quality and safe care. In addition to numerous other accolades, Healthgrades has continually recognized ChristianaCare as one of America’s Top 50 Hospitals, and Forbes has repeatedly called ChristianaCare one of the country’s best health systems to work for. Modern Healthcare’s annual list of the most influential clinical executives honors currently or previously licensed clinicians in executive roles who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be paving the way to better health through their executive responsibility, leadership qualities, innovation, community service and achievements inside and outside of their respective organizations. “These executives are broadening access to care through expansion and embracing digital tools to make their operations more efficient and their patients more connected,” said Mary Ellen Podmolik, editor-in-chief of Modern Healthcare. “They also are tackling workforce challenges by developing strategies to attract newcomers to the field. The complete list is included Modern Healthcare’s June 19 issue with awardee profiles available at www.modernhealthcare.com/50mostinfluential. About ChristianaCare Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute. ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care. About Modern Healthcare Modern Healthcare is the most trusted business news and information brand in the healthcare industry. Modern Healthcare empowers healthcare leaders and influencers to make timely and informed business decisions. To learn more or subscribe, go to www.modernhealthcare.com/subscriptions.
ChristianaCare ranked as 81st best hospital in the United States and the only health system in Delaware to make the list For the fifth consecutive year, ChristianaCare has earned a spot in Newsweek’s exclusive list of the World’s Best Hospitals – United States, recognized for consistently being at the forefront in care, research and innovation. “Receiving this honor year after year is a testament to the work ChristianaCare caregivers do each day to create health together so that every person can flourish,” said ChristianaCare President & CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH. “At its core our mission is a simple, yet profound, one. We take care of people. And I am so proud of everyone in this organization for what five-straight years of being called one of the World’s Best Hospitals says about the exceptional quality of the care we provide.” Headquartered in Wilmington, Del., ChristianaCare ranked 81st in the United States in the annual list that ranks 2,300 hospitals in 28 countries. “ChristianaCare has gained a global reputation thanks to our unwavering focus to provide expert, high-quality care,” said Kert Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, chief medical officer at ChristianaCare. “This award belongs to all our caregivers, who continuously seek new knowledge, are true to their word and are committed to delivering exceptional care to every patient we serve.” Compiled by Newsweek and the global data firm Statista, the lists are based on the following data sources: Recommendations from tens of thousands of doctors, health care professionals and managers across the world. The survey asked participants to recommend hospitals in their own country as well as in other countries. The survey did not permit recommendations of the health professional’s own hospital. Patient surveys originating from publicly available data that included areas such as their general satisfaction with the hospital and their satisfaction with their medical care. Hospital quality metrics such as data on the quality of care for specific treatments, data on hygiene measures and patient safety, and data on clinician-patient ratios. The Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROM) surveys, which are standardized, validated questionnaires completed by patients to measure their well-being and quality of life. The recognition by Newsweek echoes other quality recognitions that ChristianaCare has received during the past 12 months: For the third consecutive year, Healthgrades named ChristianaCare one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2023. Healthgrades also ranked ChristianaCare as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for five service lines: cardiac care, coronary intervention, joint replacement, spine surgery and gastrointestinal surgery. For the seventh consecutive year, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives named ChristianaCare a Most Wired Health Care Technology Leader. U.S. News & World Report rated ChristianaCare as the No. 42 hospital in the nation for obstetrics and gynecology and a High Performing Hospital for Maternity. U.S. News & World Report also rated ChristianaCare as high-performing in orthopedics. For the second consecutive year, Forbes ranked ChristianaCare as one of the Best Employers for Diversity and Inclusion in the United States. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave ChristianaCare’s Christiana Hospital and Wilmington Hospital the top score in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s most recent Healthcare Equality Index.
