Whitney's blog

By Elaine D. Briseño / For the Journal Jan 5, 2025

Editor’s note: The Journal continues “What’s in a Name?,” a once a month column in which Elaine Briseño will give a short history of how places in New Mexico got their names.

The arrival of the railroad and abundance of mining were certainly responsible for enticing people to New Mexico in the late 1800s, but there was a more lethal reason people crossed our borders – tuberculosis.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – January 3, 2025 – Lovelace Health System, a leading regional healthcare provider, announced today that it has acquired six urgent care clinics across Albuquerque and Taos, New Mexico, from NextCare Urgent Care. Four of the clinics are located in the Albuquerque area with two others located in Rio Rancho and Taos. All current NextCare Urgent Care employees at these locations will become part of the Lovelace team.

ALBUQUERQUE, December 17, 2024 — Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) was named a Top Small Teaching Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group and is the only hospital in New Mexico to earn this distinction. This is the fourth consecutive “Top Teaching Hospital” designation for HHNM, highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – December 16, 2024 – Lovelace Health System has named Mary Armijo, MBA, MS, CIS, chief operating officer (COO) of Lovelace Medical Center (LMC) and Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM), effective January 6, 2025.

Hospitals honored as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Comprehensive Breast Care, Obstetrics

ALBUQUERQUE – December 2, 2024 – Lovelace Women’s Hospital (LWH) and Lovelace Regional Hospital (LRH) have earned national recognition from the 2025 Women’s Choice Awards®, as two of America’s Best Hospitals for Comprehensive Breast Care and Obstetrics.

ALBUQUERQUE – November 20, 2024 – The 1000th WATCHMAN™ device was placed at Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) by Michael Bestawros, M.D., MPH, an electrophysiologist with New Mexico Heart Institute/ Lovelace Medical Group. HHNM is the only facility in New Mexico to have placed 1,000 WATCHMAN™ devices.

ALBUQUERQUE, November 19, 2024 — Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

ROSWELL, November 14, 2024 — Lovelace Regional Hospital (LRH) has earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in “Outcomes.” Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards recognize top quartile performance (i.e. 75th percentile or above) among rural hospital in Quality, Outcomes and/or Patient Perspective.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – October 28, 2024 – Lovelace Health System has named Tracey L. Miller, MHA, chief operating officer (COO) of Lovelace Medical Group, effective October 28.

ALBUQUERQUE – October 8, 2024 –Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center (HHNM) has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® Regional Recognition award for its commitment to offering swift and evidence-based care to individuals across the region experiencing the most severe heart attacks.