Awards & Recognition

NorthShore University HealthSystem has been awarded numerous honors for its achievements in providing patients with an exceptional healthcare experience that outshines similar peer organizations. We work hard to continuously improve our achievements in the healthcare services profession. The following are some of the organizational achievements for which we are particularly proud.

2021

• August 2021: Northwest Community Healthcare is ranked one of America’s ‘Best-In-State’ Employers for 2021 by Forbes Magazine. NCH ranked #4 out of 13 healthcare institutions in Illinois; and statewide ranked #17 out of 100 businesses with at least 500 employees. The rankings were based on 80,000 survey respondents who anonymously rated their employers on a variety of criteria, including safety of work environment, competitiveness of compensation, opportunities for advancement and openness to telecommuting. More than 1,300 employers received the greatest number of recommendations in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
• July 2021: NorthShore is recognized as a LinkedIn ‘Top 25 Company’ in the greater Chicago area for 2021. LinkedIn uses proprietary data to rank companies based on seven pillars that are shown to lead career progression: ability to advance; skills growth; company stability; external opportunity; company affinity; gender diversity and educational background.
• July 2021: NorthShore Legacy hospitals receive the 2021 ‘Environmental Excellence Award’ from Practice GreenHealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare. The NorthShore system also receives the “System for Change Award” which recognizes our ongoing commitment to improving our environmental performance and efforts to build sustainability into our daily operations.
• July 2021: NorthShore Orthopaedic & Spine Institute is named one of the top 50 specialty programs in the country in U.S. News & World Report’s annual ‘Best Hospital’ rankings for 2021-22. This marks the first time NorthShore has been nationally ranked in orthopedics (#48) in the annual listing. The report also ranks NorthShore as the #6 hospital in both Illinois and the Chicago metro area. The annual rankings recognize hospitals that excel in treating patients with the most challenging medical conditions. More than 4,700 hospitals nationwide are analyzed and ranked in 15 specialties and 17 procedures/conditions.
• April 2021: NorthShore Evanston, Highland Park and Swedish hospitals are proud to be recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield with a Blue Distinction® Centers (BDC) for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. NorthShore maternity care programs at Evanston and Highland Park Hospitals met nationally established selection criteria by demonstrating expertise in delivering quality specialty care, safely and effectively. Swedish Hospital earned the BDC+ designation which also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare.
• April 2021: NorthShore earns five stars—the highest possible quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), as part of its consumer-oriented Hospital Compare program. Hospitals are rated in five key categories: mortality, safety of care, readmission, patient experience, and timely & effective care. More than 4,500 hospitals are assessed with the national average being three stars.
• April 2021:  NorthShore is named to the 2021 Fortune/IBM Watson HealthTM 100 Top Hospitals® list for a record 22 times, more than any other hospital or health system in the United States during the award’s 28-year history. NorthShore is also listed among the Top 15 Major Teaching Hospitals in the country. The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience, financial health and community health.
• April 2021: Three NorthShore Hospitals (Evanston, Glenbrook and NCH) receive “A” grades and two NorthShore Hospitals (Highland Park and Swedish) receive “B” grades in new ratings from The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that focuses on quality and safety in American health care. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 acute-care hospitals in the U.S. twice per year.
• February 2021: NorthShore receives the Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF) Innovations Award, honoring the accomplishments of a health care team which has inspired leadership, change and advancement. NorthShore, BCBSIL and Epic are recognized for implementing the BCBSIL Payer Platform with Epic, a secure, interconnected system of health information between insurers and providers that can be utilized at the point of care. NorthShore was the first health system in Illinois to deploy the Platform in December 2020, moving to execute this data-driven approach to health care in less than 60 days, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020

• October 2020: NorthShore is nationally named a 2020 Most Wired health system for the 17th straight year by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). The Digital Health Performance award represents excellence in organizations that effectively apply core and advanced technologies into their clinical and business programs to improve health and care in their communities. The CHIME surveys allow participating organizations to clearly benchmark their level of HIT achievement against a defined worldwide industry standard. NorthShore receives a “Level 9 Quality Award” for both the Acute and Ambulatory surveys. Certification levels range from 1-10
• November 2020: NorthShore receives the Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award, recognizing 17 of NorthShore’s off-site Outpatient Services. This award recognizes top-performing health care organizations that have achieved the 95th percentile or above for performance in Patient Experience. Press Ganey is a strategic business partner, supporting health care providers nationwide in understanding and improving the entire care continuum.
• July 2020: NorthShore is ranked as the #6 hospital in both the Chicago metro area and the State of Illinois in the 2020-21 U.S. News & World Report’s Annual Best Hospitals survey. NorthShore also receives “high-performing” marks in six clinical specialties: Gastroenterology and GI surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Urology—and in eight complex procedures and conditions. The annual Best Hospitals rankings recognize hospitals that excel in treating patients with the most challenging medical conditions. Nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide are analyzed and ranked in 25 different adult specialties, procedures and conditions.
• June 2020: The Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) awards NorthShore Stage 7 status for the Adoption Model for Analytics Maturity—the apex of leveraging data driven platforms such as CAPE and CART to provide better care and operational performance. Also, HIMSS revalidates NorthShore’s Stage 7 status on the EMR Adoption Model and Outpatient EMR Adoption Model. Both models are used to improve patient care while reducing costs in case studies on predicting medical spend; and also developing an inpatient antibiotic stewardship assistance program using real-time EMR data. NorthShore is one of only five organizations worldwide that has achieved Stage 7 status on these three maturity models.
• June 2020: NorthShore is named to the 2020 Fortune/IBM Watson HealthTM 100 Top Hospitals® list for a record 21st time, more than any other hospital or health system in the United States during the award’s 27-year history. NorthShore is also listed among the Top 15 Major Teaching Hospitals in the country. The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health.
• May 2020: NorthShore is honored for its environmental achievements in the health care sector by Practice Greenhealth, the nation's leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare.  The four NorthShore “legacy” hospitals earn the top-tier “Greenhealth Emerald Award.” This competitive award recognizes the top 20 percent of applicants and is focused on advanced sustainability programs and exemplary scores in a range of categories. Swedish Hospital, which joined NorthShore in January, did not participate in the process.
• May 2020: NorthShore is recognized in the 2020 edition of Becker’s Healthcare list of "100 great hospitals in America." The list includes nationally recognized and industry leading healthcare institutions for their excellence in clinical care, patient outcomes, and staff and physician satisfaction. The list also includes industry innovators that have sparked trends in healthcare technology, hospital management and patient satisfaction.
• April 2020: NorthShore hospitals receive “A” grades for Spring 2020 from The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that focuses on quality and safety in American health care. NorthShore Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park and Swedish Hospitals all receive A’s. Leapfrog uses up to 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals. Because Leapfrog only assigns grades to acute-care hospitals, Skokie Hospital is not included in the grading process because of its specialty hospital status.
• February 2020: NorthShore hospitals are named to the Healthgrades America’s Best Hospitals list for 2020. NorthShore is among the 250 Best Hospitals™ in the U.S., and among 14 in Illinois for clinical excellence. NorthShore is recognized for being in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide demonstrating superior clinical outcomes across the majority of common inpatient conditions and procedures, according to Healthgrades.

2019

• December 2019: NorthShore achieves Magnet® recognition, the highest honor in nursing, for the third time in a decade. In March 2010, NorthShore became the first in Illinois designated as a system to receive Magnet recognition and then re-designation in 2015. Once awarded Magnet status, organizations must reapply every four years. The Magnet honor is determined by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program®, which recognizes health care organizations that demonstrate excellence in nursing and the highest standards in patient care.  
• December 2019: NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center (KCC) receives re-certification for the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. QOPI is a practice-based quality improvement program that promotes excellence in cancer care by helping practices create a culture of self-examination and improvement. By becoming QOPI Certified, KCC demonstrates a commitment to quality to patients, payors, and the medical community.
• November 2019: NorthShore is nationally named a Most Wired health system for the 16th straight year, according to the CHIME Healthcare Informatics magazine's 2019 "Most Wired" survey. New to this year’s survey is an improved system that allows participating organizations to clearly benchmark their level of HIT achievement against a defined worldwide industry standard. NorthShore receives a “Level 8 Quality Award.” Certification levels range from 1-10.
• November 2019: All four NorthShore hospitals receive “A” grades in new ratings from The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that focuses on quality and safety in American health care. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year.
• November 2019: NorthShore Evanston Hospital is one of 56 hospitals nationwide to be recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for achieving “meritorious outcomes” for surgical patient care—specific to high quality patient outcomes achieved in the categories of “All Cases” and “High Risk.” NorthShore placed in the top 8% of the 722 participating hospitals.
• September 2019: NorthShore received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Illinois Health & Hospital Association’s Institute for Innovations in Care and Quality, as part of the 2019 IHA Quality Excellence Achievement Awards. NorthShore won for its submission—Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS): A System Strategy to Reduce Opioid Use and Improve Outcomes. ERAS addresses a critical healthcare need with positive results that could serve as a model for hospitals statewide. The project was selected among submissions from 57 IHA-member hospitals and health systems.
• July 2019: NorthShore was ranked as the #3 hospital in both the Chicago metro area and the state of Illinois in the 2019-20 U.S. News & World Report’s Annual Best Hospitals survey. NorthShore was nationally ranked in Gynecology (#37) and Urology (#50), and also recognized as “high-performing” in six clinical specialties (Gastroenterology and GI surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Pulmonology and Lung Surgery), and all nine complex procedures and conditions included in the rankings.
• May 2019: All four NorthShore hospitals again receive grades of “A” in new ratings from The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that focuses on quality and safety in American health care. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year.
• April 2019: All four NorthShore hospitals received the ‘GreenHealth Emerald’ award from Practice GreenHealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare. The Emerald Award recognizes hospitals that are focused on advanced sustainability programs and that earn exemplary scores in a range of categories. NorthShore hospitals were also honored with the GreenHealth ‘System for Change’ award, which recognizes health systems that are working cohesively to set systemwide sustainability goals, track performance data, and support internal organizational learning and implementation within their institutions.
• March 2019: NorthShore is recognized as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® and a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital by IBM Watson Health, formerly Truven Health Analytics, a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. NorthShore is the only hospital in the U.S. to achieve this honor 20 times during the award's 26-year history.
• February 2019: NorthShore hospitals were named to the Healthgrades America’s Best Hospitals list. NorthShore was listed among the 250 Best Hospitals™, recognized for being among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for clinical excellence. Such hospitals demonstrate superior clinical outcomes across the majority of common inpatient conditions and procedures, according to Healthgrades.
• January 2019: NorthShore’s Cardiovascular Institute was named a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care at both Evanston and Highland Park Hospitals. The important recognition from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois reflects demonstrated expertise in quality care and better patient outcomes. Evanston Hospital was recognized as a Blue Distinction Center+, while Highland Park Hospital received the Blue Distinction Center honor.

2018

• November 2018: NorthShore is named one of the ‘Most Wired’ health systems in the country for the 15th straight year, according to the CHIME Healthcare Informatics magazine's 2018 "Most Wired" survey. The annual report highlights hospitals and hospital systems at the forefront of adopting health information technology to improve patient care and increase clinical and administrative efficiencies.
• November 2018: All four NorthShore hospitals receive grades of “A” in new ratings from The Leapfrog Group, a national organization that focuses on quality and safety in American health care. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year.
• November 2018: NorthShore is named one of the Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ in the nation; and one of only two teaching hospitals in Illinois with a cardiovascular residency program to be recognized for demonstrating the highest performance in-hospital cardiovascular services. The top hospitals had the highest survival rates, lowest rates of complications and readmissions, as well as the lowest lengths of stay and costs.
• November 2018:  NorthShore Evanston Hospital is one of just 58 hospitals nationwide to be recognized by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care. The award is specific to the high-quality patient outcomes achieved in the categories of “All Cases” and “High Risk” cases.
• November 2018: NorthShore is named to Becker’s Hospital Review 2018 list of the “68 Greenest Hospitals in America.” NorthShore is recognized for its efforts to create a healthy work environment and reduce environmental footprints. The publication conducted research and analyzed sustainability information from sources such as Practice Greenhealth and the Environmental Protection Agency.
• May 2018: All four NorthShore hospitals receive the top ‘GreenHealth Emerald’ and ‘System for Change’ awards from Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to environmental sustainability in healthcare. NorthShore is recognized for its commitment to improving environmental performance and excellence. NorthShore also is selected to receive the coveted Circle of Excellence Award for Leadership, which honors up to 10 of the highest-performing hospitals in each area of sustainability expertise.
• March 2018: NorthShore is recognized as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® and a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital for 2018 by Watson Health, formerly Truven Health Analytics, a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. NorthShore is the only hospital in the U.S. to achieve this honor 19 times during the award's 25-year history.
• January 2018: NorthShore hospitals are recognized for being among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for clinical excellence, according to Healthgrades’ annual list. NorthShore is among 250 recipients that deliver high-quality care across at least 21 of 32 common inpatient conditions and procedures.

2017

• December 2017: NorthShore earns five stars—the highest possible quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Hospitals are rated in seven key categories: mortality, readmission, care safety, patient experience, medical imaging efficiency, timeliness and effectiveness of care. More than 4,000 hospitals are assessed with the national average being three stars.
• August 2017: NorthShore was ranked a top five-hospital system in Illinois and the Chicago metro area in U.S. News & World Report’s annual "Best Hospitals" survey for 2017-18. U.S. News also recognized six NorthShore clinical specialties as “high performing” nationally: neurology and neurosurgery; orthopedics; gastroenterology and GI surgery; urology; nephrology and geriatrics. This year’s survey analyzed and ranked more than 5,000 hospitals nationwide and 16 different specialties, honoring hospitals that excel in treating patients with the most challenging medical conditions.
• July 2017: NorthShore was named one of the ‘Most Wired’ health systems in the country for the 14^th straight year, according to the Hospitals & Health Networks magazine's 2017 "Most Wired" survey. The annual report highlights hospitals at the forefront of adopting health information technology to improve patient care and increase clinical and administrative efficiencies.
• June 2017: NorthShore University HealthSystem is ranked fifth out of 500 hospitals in the nation in Internet Health Management’s (IHM) first-ever “2017 Digital 500 Hospital Report.” The comprehensive report ranks hospital leaders in digital and mobile health care, and core digital health features. IHM is a brand of Vertical Web Media—a Chicago-based, privately held company that focuses on providing business intelligence for the e-commerce market.
• April 2017: All four of NorthShore's Primary Stroke Centers at Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, and Skokie Hospitals have again earned the Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval™ for Advanced Certification for Primary Stroke Centers.
• March 2017: NorthShore was recognized as one of the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals® and a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital for 2017 by Truven Health Analytics—a leading provider of data analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. NorthShore also is one of only two major teaching hospitals in the U.S. to achieve this honor 18 times during the award’s 24-year history. 
• January 2017: NorthShore hospitals were recognized for being among the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for clinical excellence, according to Healthgrades’ annual list.  
• January 2017: The Glenbrook Family Care Center achieved Level 3 status in Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Level 3 is the most widely adopted model for transforming primary care practices into medical homes—leading to higher quality, lower costs and improved patients' and providers' care experience. 
• January 2017: NorthShore University HealthSystem received Stage 7 revalidation from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), attaining the highest level on both acute and outpatient care Electronic Medical Record Adoption Models. 

2016

• October 2016: NorthShore hospitals made the list of the “50 Greenest Hospitals in the U.S.” by Becker’s Hospital Review. NorthShore was recognized for converting overhead lighting to efficient fluorescent lamp technology, saving 700,000 kilowatt-hours annually; and making operating rooms more environmentally friendly. Becker’s conducted research and analyzed sustainability information from Practice Greenhealth, the U.S. Green Building Council, the American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the Environmental Protection Agency.
• October 2016: NorthShore received The Joint Commission Approval for its left ventricular assist device (LVAD) program for compliance with Advanced Disease-Specific Care Certification Standards, marking an important milestone for our expanded commitment to treating the most serious congestive heart failure cases. The LVAD is used to aid a failing heart’s ability to circulate blood throughout the body in patients who’ve exhausted other interventions such as stents, pacemakers, and open-heart surgery.
• August 2016: NorthShore received national recognition for a number of specialties and procedures in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey. NorthShore was rated as High Performing in six specialties: Gastroenterology and GI Surgery; Geriatrics; Nephrology; Neurology & Neurosurgery; Orthopaedics; and Urology. In rankings of Adult Procedures/Conditions, NorthShore was rated as High Performing – the highest rating possible – in seven: abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, COPD, colon cancer surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement, and lung cancer surgery. In addition, NorthShore was the 9th ranked hospital in the Chicago area and the state of Illinois.
• May 2016: NorthShore was one of 100 hospitals listed in Becker's Hospital Review 2016 Great Hospitals in America. The list includes Billings Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and other hospitals with a strong history of innovation, providing top-notch care to patients and leading clinical advancement with forward-thinking research. 
• February 2016: NorthShore was recognized as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals® for 2016 by Truven Health Analytics, a leading provider of data-driven analytics and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. NorthShore is one of only two major teaching hospitals in the country to achieve this honor 17 times during the award's 23-year history.
• February 2016: NorthShore was awarded the 2015 CHEF Award for Innovation for Metropolitan Chicago from Chicago Health Executives, the largest independent chapter of the American College of Health Executives. The award recognizes teamwork for service innovation and community health leadership.
• January 2016: NorthShore was one of 260 hospitals nationwide that received the “Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence” from Healthgrades, the healthcare ratings company. The award puts NorthShore among the top 5 percent of hospitals nationwide that deliver high-quality care across at least 21 of 32 common patient conditions and procedures.

2015

• November 2015: NorthShore Evanston Hospital was named to the Becker’s Hospital Review “50 Greenest Hospitals in America” list. The publication conducted research and analyzed sustainability information from sources such as Practice Greenhealth, Healthier Hospitals Initiative, and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. Evanston Hospital was specifically commended for, among other things, its LEED Silver-certified Kellogg Cancer Center.
• November 2015: NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center received recertification for the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) from the American Society of Clinical Oncology. QOPI is a practice-based quality improvement program that promotes excellence in cancer care by helping practices create a culture of self-examination and improvement.
• July 2015: NorthShore has been named one of the "Most Wired" health systems in the country for the 12th straight year by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine's 2015 "Most Wired" survey. The annual report highlights hospitals and hospital systems at the forefront of adopting health information technology to improve patient care and increase clinical and administrative efficiencies. NorthShore was one of 339 hospitals selected from a field of more than 2,200 survey participants.
• June 2015: NorthShore’s Center for Breast Health has been granted a three-year, full accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. Accreditation is only awarded to those centers that demonstrate compliance with high standards established for treating women who are diagnosed with the full spectrum of breast disease.
• June 2015: NorthShore has been ranked in the top tier of health systems nationwide by Truven Health Analytics, formerly Thomson Reuters. The report evaluated 340 health systems of varying sizes nationwide. NorthShore was listed in the top tier of those systems that have effectively confronted financial challenges, while still outperforming national benchmarks for quality care, including patient safety, readmission, and patient loyalty.
• May 2015: NorthShore’s Green Team has received the 2015 “Emerald System for Change Award” from Practice Green Health, recognizing NorthShore's ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and realizing a top standard of excellence in sustainability. NorthShore has achieved the second highest tier of Practice Green Health's four-tiered award categories.
• May 2015: NorthShore is one of just 34 hospitals and health systems nationwide rated as high performing in five common surgical procedures and chronic conditions, U.S. News & World Report announced in its new Best Hospitals for Common Care evaluation. The Common Care ratings assessed more than 4,600 hospitals nationwide in hip replacement, knee replacement, heart bypass surgery, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• April 2015: NorthShore achieved Magnet® recognition, becoming the first in Illinois to earn systemwide redesignation from Magnet, the highest most prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care—something only achieved by 6% of hospitals nationwide.
• January 2015: NorthShore's Grainger Center for Simulation and Innovation (GCSI) was awarded reaccreditation as a Comprehensive Education Institute from the American College of Surgeons, which is dedicated to setting high standards for surgical education and practice. The reaccreditation recognizes NorthShore’s commitment to enhancing patient safety through simulation and continuing to position GCSI as part of an elite group of international educational institutes.

2014

• November 2014: The Palliative Care program at NorthShore Evanston Hospital has earned recertification from the Joint Commission. This "Gold Seal of Approval" is a recognition of the program's commitment to providing the best care to patients and their families. The recertification is for Evanston Hospital, but the model program and quality standards have been copied at all four NorthShore Hospitals.
• August 2014: All six NorthShore GI Labs have been honored for promoting the highest standards of safety and quality in endoscopy by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program.
• July 2014: NorthShore is nationally ranked in Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (#43) and rated as high performing in 10 other specialties, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual "Best Hospitals" survey. The evaluation looked at about 5,000 hospitals nationwide, ranking them in 16 different specialties. Less than 3 percent of all hospitals earned a national ranking in any specialty. NorthShore was also a Top 10-ranked hospital in Illinois.
• July 2014: NorthShore has been named one of the "Most Wired" health systems in the country for the 11^th straight year by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine's 2014 "Most Wired" survey. The annual report highlights hospitals and hospital systems at the forefront of adopting health information technology (HIT) to improve patient care and increase clinical and administrative efficiencies.
• June 2014: All six NorthShore GI labs have been honored by the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) Endoscopy Unit Recognition Program (EURP) for promoting the highest standards of safety and quality endoscopic care through the EURP.
• June 2014: All four NorthShore hospitals earned System for Change Awards and Greenhealth Partner for Change Awards from Practice Greenhealth, a national healthcare sustainability organization. NorthShore was recognized for its work in implementing comprehensive sustainability programs that reduce waste and demonstrate environmental stewardship system-wide. 
• June 2014: The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has recognized NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center as one of five Community Resource Centers identified for expertise in treating pancreatic cancer patients. A recently published ACCC article on effective practices in pancreatic cancer programs identified new resources for improving the quality of care delivered to patients and designated the new Community Resource Centers.
• May 2014: NorthShore’s diabetes self-management outpatient education program has been awarded continued recognition from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).  Programs that achieve recognition provide state-of-the-art diabetes management information and education to participants.
• May 2014: NorthShore is among the first health systems in the area to earn the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) certification at all seven Centers for Maternal and Fetal Health locations for obstetric care. This distinction is a reflection of excellence in the performance and interpretation of obstetric diagnostic ultrasound examinations.
• April 2014: All four NorthShore Hospitals earned an "A" grade in The Leapfrog Group's "Hospital Safety Score" initiative, achieving the highest ranking among more than 2,600 hospitals rated nationwide. Grades were based on patient-data measures such as medical and medication errors, falls and trauma, very severe pressure sores and preventable complications from surgery; and also scrutiny of procedures and protocols due to strong nursing leadership, hand hygiene policies, and safety-first organizational leadership.
• April 2014: NorthShore earned an Excellence Award for Sustainability from VHA Inc., the national healthcare network. The "Best in Class" Excellence Award honors NorthShore and the Green Team for its work in creating a comprehensive sustainability program that reduces waste and demonstrates environmental stewardship in the local community. Only six hospitals or healthcare systems nationwide received this VHA recognition.
• April 2014: NorthShore has been named to the 2014 InformationWeek "Elite 100," a list of the top business technology innovators in the U.S. NorthShore was one of just 15 hospitals or health systems nationally to make the list, which includes leading companies in fields ranging from manufacturing to information technology to banking and financial services.
• April 2014: All four NorthShore hospitals’ Lab Services renewed their gold standard accreditation from the College of American Pathologists, recognizing several areas of excellence including appropriate test utilization; highly integrated policies, procedures and test platforms; excellent quality management system; patient-centered focus to ensure standardized delivery of care; and extremely knowledgeable, well-trained laboratory staff.
• February 2014: NorthShore Evanston Hospital’s Infant Special Care Unit (ISCU) received a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). The award recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes through a consistent and systematic approach to evidence-based care.

2013

• December 2013: NorthShore’s Kellogg Cancer Center received a three-year accreditation with Gold-level commendation from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). The accreditation and commendation underscore NorthShore’s commitment to quality, structured, high-level multidisciplinary cancer care, incorporating all elements necessary to optimize patient outcomes.
• December 2013: The Leapfrog Group’s “Top Hospitals” 2013 list recognized Evanston and Glenbrook Hospitals:
  • Both were among 90 “Top Hospitals” and 55 “Top Urban” Hospitals selected from a field of more than 1,300 for high performance in patient safety and quality  
  • Both were among five Illinois hospitals to earn the designation
• October 2013: Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, and Skokie Hospitals earned "A" grades in The Leapfrog Group's semiannual “Hospital Safety Scores” list.  Leapfrog assigns letter grades to patient-data measures that reflect best care protocols, operational efficiency, and organizational leadership.
• October 2013: Skokie Hospital has earned the Gold Seal of Approval™ from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Centers. Skokie Hospital joins Evanston, Highland Park and Glenbrook Hospitals in celebrating this important designation.
• August 2013: NorthShore ranked 19^th overall and #1 in Chicago for “Social Media Friendly Hospitals” from MHAdegree.org. The list included only US News & World Report nationally ranked hospitals and data from multiple social media platforms to calculate a score.
• July 2013:  U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey for 2013:
  • Nationally ranked in Gynecology (#21) and in Gastroenterology (#40)
  • Rated as high-performing in nine other clinical areas
  • Ranked #7 for hospitals in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan region
• July 2013:  Hospitals & Health Networks magazine's 2013 national “Most Wired Survey” recognized NorthShore as a "Most Wired" hospital for the tenth consecutive year.
• June 2013: NorthShore's Clinical Engineering Department has received TechNation magazine's "Department of the Year" award. The annual honor recognizes a biomedical or clinical engineering division's exemplary achievements that establish high standards and provide an outstanding example for others in the healthcare industry.
• May 2013: The NorthShore Center for Simulation and Innovation (NCSI) has earned the American Society of Anesthesiologists' (ASA) accreditation as a Simulation Education Network Center.  As an ASA-certified center, the NCSI can provide anesthesiologists with the necessary training to satisfy their Maintenance of Certification in Anesthesiology (MOCA) requirements.
• April 2013: NorthShore is the first system in the country to achieve the HIMSS Analytics’ Stage 7 EMR designation for its ambulatory clinics and physicians’ offices. With Stage 7, NS has successfully integrated its pioneering Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to create an environment where paper charts are no longer used to deliver patient care.  HIMSS is the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
• Feb 2013: Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters)recognized NS as a “100 Top Hospital” and “Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital” for 2013—a record 16 times, more than any hospital in the country.
• Jan 2013: Healthcare Informatics magazine named NS “Innovator of the Year” for 2013 for a project that harnessed our EMR to screen for and evaluate individuals with previously undetected hypertension.

2012

• Hospitals & Health Networks magazine's 2012 national “Most Wired Survey” recognized NS as a "Most Wired" hospital, nine years in a row.
• U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Hospitals survey for 2012:
  • Nationally ranked in Gynecology (#31) and in Gastroenterology (#40)
  • Rated as high-performing in nine other clinical areas
  • Ranked #5 for hospitals in both Illinois and the Chicago metropolitan region
  • 1 of 156 hospitals nationwide recognized as a Most Connected Hospital for EMR
• The Leapfrog Group’s “Top Hospitals” 2012 list recognized Evanston Hospital
  • Evanston was among 67 “Top Hospitals” selected from a field of nearly 1,200 for high performance in patient safety and quality.
  • All four hospitals earned “A” grades in Leapfrog’s 2012 “Hospital Safety Scores.”
• 2012 VHA Leadership Award for Sustainability Excellence/Community Benefit Excellence—serving community health needs
• 2012 Advanced Palliative Care Certification from The Joint Commission—NorthShore’s program is one of two in Illinois and one of 16 nationwide to receive this honor
• 2012 Inpatient Diabetes Care Certificate of Distinction, The Joint Commission
• 2012 CIO 100 Award—Top 10 Hospital Systems, CIO magazine

2011 and Earlier

• In 2011, the U.S. government recognized NS as being one of the first in the country to demonstrate “meaningful use” of its EMR technology in a way that translates to improved quality, safety and efficiency for patients. As such, NS received $6 million from the Medicare and Medicaid EMR Incentive Program to expand its use of EMR and medical informatics.
• In March 2010, NS received Magnet recognition—the first in Illinois designated as a system to receive this prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care—something only achieved by 6% of hospitals nationwide.
• In 2009, NS was one of just two health care systems in the U.S. first to receive the Stage 7 Award for full EMR adoption by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Stage 7 is the pinnacle of an environment where paper charts are no longer used to deliver patient care.