Health First Finds Itself Among the Best in Multiple National Ranking
From Best Employer to Patient Safety and Quality, Health First Finds Itself Among the Best in Multiple National Rankings
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – From inclusion among the nation’s best employers to top-notch patient safety and quality measures, Health First has scored high this year in multiple national honors and rankings – underscoring the ideal that by prioritizing a laser-focused commitment toward patient care and quality, positive recognition will follow.
“It has indeed been a very big year for Health First, and these many accolades and rankings, which touch every part of our organization, are certainly worth celebrating by every clinician, associate and volunteer at Health First,” said Board Chair Kent Smith.
“However, we all understand what our mission is, first and foremost – serving our community and providing the very best care possible. When your mission is crystal clear, and the commitment of your team is as strong as ours, the awards and recognition will naturally follow.”
This year’s key highlights include:
FORBES: AMERICA’S BEST LARGE EMPLOYERS
For the second straight year, Health First was named among “America’s Best Large Employers” for 2023 by Forbes.
In a survey of 45,000 U.S. employees, Health First landed in the top 200 nationally on the list highlighting organizations with more than 5,000 employees.
Jumping nearly 250 spots – from 407 in 2022 to 159 this year – Health First was one of only three hospitals or healthcare systems in Florida named to the list and one of only 35 hospital or healthcare systems nationally named to the list. Additionally, Health First was one of only 18 Florida-based companies named to the list.
The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees that were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employee evaluations also included other employers in their respective industries that stood out either positively or negatively.
GOVERNOR’S STERLING AWARD: PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE
In more than 30 years and nearly 100 awards, no medical group has ever been awarded the Governor’s Sterling Award for excellence in management and operations. That ended this year when The Sterling Council named Health First Medical Group a Governor’s Sterling Award winner for 2023.
According to feedback from judges, Health First distinguished itself for:
■ A culture of valuing people – clients and associates alike – that was evident in all interactions.
■ Leadership effectiveness from the top administrators to the front-line managers.
■ Success from the “dyad structure” of Provider Leaders (medical doctors in operational roles) and their engagement in the culture of service
The selection process for the Governor’s Sterling Award is grueling, intended to identify the best of the best. It began last year for HFMG and consisted of an extensive 160-page application using the nationally recognized Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence, multiple interviews over a six-week period, and an intensive week-long site visit with 10 Sterling examiners.
A panel of Sterling Council judges ultimately makes the final determination, selecting organizations that represent performance excellence role-model organization status for the State of Florida.
LEAPFROG: STRAIGHT SEVEN FOR VIERA HOSPITAL
For the seventh straight grading term, Viera Hospital has achieved a Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade of “A.”
This national distinction recognizes Health First’s commitment and achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital setting.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients.
The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Leapfrog grades are updated twice annually, in the spring and fall, and are based on 22 evidence-based measures – including 12 Process Measures and 10 Outcome Measures.
Grades are updated twice annually, in the spring and fall. There are nearly 6,100 hospitals in the United States and more than 300 hospitals in the state of Florida. Viera’s A-rating was among the top 20% in the state.
CMS STARS: QUALITY MEASURES
Both Cape Canaveral Hospital and Viera Hospital earned coveted 5 Star ratings in the most recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Rating System report.
The annual CMS ratings are based on extensive data that measures critical outcomes, including patient experience, infection rates, readmissions, and mortality.
In the most recent report, Viera and Cape Canaveral were two of only 11 hospitals in the state of Florida to earn the 5-Star rating – and this is the fourth straight 5-Star year for Cape Canaveral Hospital. For context, there are more than 300 hospitals in the state of Florida.
CMS assigns star ratings to U.S. hospitals annually based on 46 hospital quality measures. These are divided into five quality categories: safety of care, mortality, patient experience, readmission rates and timely and effective care.
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT TOP HOSPITALS
This month, Holmes Regional Medical Center was ranked No. 22 in the state of Florida (among more than 300 hospitals) and No. 1 in Brevard County as part of the annual Best Hospitals report.
As part of the annual report, Hospitals are rated according to their performance in complex care in medical specialties and in common procedures and conditions. To help patients decide where to receive care, U.S. News generates hospital rankings by evaluating data on nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide.
To be nationally ranked in a specialty, a hospital must excel in caring for the sickest, most medically complex patients.
This year, Holmes Regional was recognized for 7 High Performance Specialties (Heart Attack, Heart Bypass Surgery, Heart Failure, Diabetes, Stroke, Hip Replacement, Pneumonia).
In addition, Palm Bay Hospital earned High Performing recognition in 4 areas – Hip Replacement, Knee Replacement, Diabetes, and COPD.
Viera Hospital earned a High Performing rating for both Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement, and Cape Canaveral Hospital was recognized as High Performing for Heart Attack care.
FORBES (AGAIN): BEST IN-STATE EMPLOYERS
While Forbes named Health First one of the nation’s top 200 large employers for a second straight year in February, a new ranking this week adds Health First to the top employer list among all Florida businesses.
Health First ranked 63rd among all Florida businesses on the Forbes list of America’s Best-in-State Employers for 2023. Among the top 100 organizations named to the list, Health First joined only 14 other healthcare or hospital systems in the state. This prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.
America’s Best-in-State Employers 2023 were identified based on 2.1 million employer recommendations from employees working for companies with more than 500 employees in the United States. The recommended employers were grouped into one of 25 industry sectors, and employers with operations in more than one state were ranked in multiple states.
The evaluation was made on a state-by-state basis and is based on three distinct criteria: In-state indirect recommendations, National in-industry indirect recommendations, Direct recommendations. Employees were asked to give their opinions on a series of statements surrounding work-related topics, including working conditions, diversity, salary, potential for development, and company image regarding their current employer.
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