The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital announced this week that it has received the Summit Award from Press Ganey Associates Inc. for excellence in patient satisfaction in its emergency department. The award was announced in ceremonies at the Press Ganey National Client Conference, held Nov. 27 in Kissimmee, Fla.

Press Ganey is the industry’s leading satisfaction measurement and improvement firm. Its awards are considered the Oscars of the health care industry, and the Summit Award is especially prestigious: winners must rank in the 95th percentile or above in the patient satisfaction database for at least three consecutive years.

Press Ganey serves more than 7,000 health care institutions; the Vineyard hospital is one of six to receive the Summit Award this year for its emergency department services.

In a prepared statement released this week about the award, hospital president and chief executive officer Tim Walsh said the award validates the hospital’s focus on quality care.

“When John Ferguson joined us as chairman of the hospital board in 2001, he pledged to the Island community that with their help, we were going to commit ourselves to being one of the best rural hospitals anywhere. That pursuit of excellence is a never-ending process here, and continually reviewing the quality of our care is an important part of being the best we can be,” Mr. Walsh said in the statement.

“This recognition belongs to every employee of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital who comes to work each day to deliver the very best care they can. We’re proud, but we’re not resting on our laurels. The pursuit of excellence is in this Hospital’s DNA now. It’s a job that’s never finished,” he also said.