Posted on September 28, 2004 at 9:48 a.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — University Hospital at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has been named one of the nation’s top hospitals in the 2004/2005 Consumer Choice Awards by the National Research Corporation (NRC). The award identifies hospitals that health care consumers have chosen as having the highest quality and image in 154 markets throughout the United States.

Winners are determined by multiple quality and image ratings collected by the annual NRC Healthcare Market Guide study. Of the 3,000 hospitals named by consumers in the study, the winning facilities rank highest in their Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The 2004 NRC HealthCare Market Guide study surveyed over 140,000 households representing 400,000 consumers in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

“It is certainly gratifying to again be named among the nation’s top hospitals,” said David Hoidal, CEO of the UAB Health System. “Recognition by the Consumer Choice Awards indicates that we are achieving our goal of delivering the finest quality health care possible.”

According to the National Research Corporation, the 2004/2005 healthcare Market Guide is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive study of its kind.