The votes are in and The University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center – A Campus of UNM Hospital (SRMC) has taken the number three spot for most beautiful hospital in the country!
Today contest sponsor, Soliant, announced the winners for this year’s “Top 20 Most Beautiful Hospitals in the U.S.” The nationwide contest recognizes hospitals for developing and improving their campuses, facilities, staff, and creating holistic and healing environments.
Over the past month, the public was invited to vote on more than 70 finalists for the top spot. With more than 179,000 votes, SRMC took third place.
It’s an honor to celebrate all the reasons our hospital is truly a beautiful place. Beyond the breath-taking architecture of our facility, the beauty lies in our dedicated health care team, in our patients and in our hospital’s purpose, centered on quality care and the well-being of our staff and providers.
“I’m so grateful to our community, our patients and our team who voted for SRMC,” says SRMC President Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, MBA FACHE. “It’s an honor to celebrate all the reasons our hospital is truly a beautiful place. Beyond the breath-taking architecture of our facility, the beauty lies in our dedicated health care team, in our patients and in our hospital’s purpose, centered on quality care and the well-being of our staff and providers.”
Silva-Steele says it’s that mission that continues to earn SRMC, a Level-III Trauma Center, national recognition. SRMC ranked among the top hospitals in the country for being most equitable and socially responsible by the Lown Institute Hospitals Index. The ranking included top marks for patient outcomes, value of care, community benefit and pay equity, among others. U.S. News & World Report also rated SRMC as a high performing hospital in diabetes care.
“At the end of the day, what makes SRMC beautiful is all the work our teams do every day for our patients,” she said.
But it’s also hard to deny the aesthetic beauty of the Rio Rancho hospital with spectacular views of the majestic Sandia Mountains. SRMC opened in 2012 with much of the planning around the hospital’s design intentionally focused on creating a healing environment. Every patient room has a window that lets in natural light and the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows in many places throughout the hospital offer panoramic views of our beautiful New Mexico landscape for all staff, patients and visitors to enjoy.
A gorgeous grand piano, donated to the SRMC Arts-in-Medicine program by State Farm Insurance Company and Board member Joanna Boothe and her husband Bill, sits in the first floor waiting area at SRMC. Local artists regularly come in to play as part of the hospital’s Arts-in-Medicine Program. The program centers around research that shows music and art can decrease stress levels and promote healing.
Stunning pieces of art hang on the walls of SRMC, created by artists from many of New Mexico’s pueblos and tribes. These Native American artists created these paintings and sculptures specifically for the hospital. The work of very young, upcoming artists is also on display.
On top of all of that, a close-knit family of dedicated health care workers and staff at SRMC come together to provide exceptional care for our patients every single day. For the team at SRMC, caring for people is a calling even when they are outside of work. From an SRMC leader who helped save a man’s life at the gym, to a mother who works at SRMC who gave back to her community after her own son received lifesaving care, this team is always caring for our community.
“These are the generous hearts that make up the team inside this incredible hospital,” Silva-Steele said. “Our patients are in the very best hands.”