Here’s one more reason to love South Snohomish County: world-class health care right in our backyard.

Last week, US News and World Report released its 2013 best hospital rankings, comparing US health care facilities on patient care levels, staff-to-patient ratios, safety scores, and rates of success in treating serious health conditions. The rankings examined 107 hospitals in the State of Washington.

Swedish/Edmonds emerged as number seven in the state (up from 11 last year), and number five in the Puget Sound region. (See the rankings here.)

“We are very gratified by these results,” said David Jaffee, Swedish/Edmonds Chief Executive. “It shows that the hard work we have been doing to bring excellent care to the Edmonds community is paying off.”

Since taking over the old Stevens Health Care operation in 2010, the leadership at Swedish/Edmonds has made a top-to-bottom culture shift in the organization that values innovation, continuous improvement, and a patient-first attitude at all levels, from the front lines to the executive suite, Jaffee said.

“It hasn’t always been easy,” Jaffee admitted, “but the results are clear. I see it every day in the dedication of our staff and the looks of satisfaction on the faces of our patients. And the numbers show we’re moving in the right direction.”

But it’s more than just numbers.

“Our patients and their families really notice the changes,” Jaffee said. “Every day I hear from patients about how we’ve exceeded their expectations in speed of service, quality of care, professionalism, respect for patients and sensitivity to their needs. And at the end of the day, it’s really all about the patient.”

Despite the great rankings, Swedish/Edmonds is not about to sit on its laurels. “We’ve made a strong start, but there’s more to come,” said Jaffee.

“We’re looking to become more than a place to go with health problems,” he said. “In addition to bringing world-class care to Edmonds, we want to be a community resource where people can go for reliable, expert information on a range of health-related issues.”