Lawrence Memorial Hospital announced Wednesday that it was one of seven Kansas hospitals to receive a national award for patient satisfaction.

It received the Outstanding Patient Experience award from HealthGrades, an independent health care ratings organization, for ranking in the top 15 percent nationally in patient experience.

“Everyone associated with LMH from the volunteers to the physicians should be especially proud of this achievement because it recognizes the impact we all have on outstanding patient experiences.” said Janice Early-Weas, community relations director.

The ratings are based on patient satisfaction survey results that hospital patients provided as part of a new federal initiative to increase public reporting of hospital performance. The results are posted at www.HealthGrades.com. The survey included 27 questions related to doctor and nurse communication, responsiveness, hospital cleanliness, noise levels, medication information and post-discharge care instructions.

This is the first year for the award, and HealthGrades hopes it helps consumers when choosing a hospital. Recent research by McKinsey & Co. found that nonclinical factors account for 41 percent of a patient’s choice of hospital.

“This truly is a distinction generated by patients for patients,” said HealthGrades Executive Vice President Sarah Loughran in a press release.

The other Kansas hospitals that received the honor were Kansas University Hospital, Kansas City, Kan.; Olathe Medical Center; Stormont-Vail Healthcare, Topeka; Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital, El Dorado; Mercy Regional Health Center, Manhattan; and Hays Medical Center.