For the sixth year running, UC San Diego Health has clinched a top spot for the Vizient 2024 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Performance Award. This prestigious accolade confirms UC San Diego Health's status as a leader among academic medical centers nationwide, notably for its high-quality, patient-centered care. According to the UC San Diego announcement, the award is spotlighted as ninth out of 115 in the "Comprehensive Academic Medical Centers" category and solidifies its reputation for setting high healthcare standards and delivering superior outcomes.
Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health, expressed pride in the achievement: "Being named a Vizient top performer for the sixth year in a row underscores our unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care." UC San Diego Health was among 860 hospitals reviewed, then sorted into four cohorts, the award factors in an evaluation across a spectrum of criteria, including safety and patient-centeredness.
Christopher Longhurst, MD, chief medical officer and digital officer at the academic health center, acknowledged the importance of innovation and a driven culture in achieving such recognition. "This award demonstrates our commitment to setting exemplary standards in the health care industry through a performance-driven culture and innovation in both technology and process to drive the highest quality of patient care," he conveyed to UC San Diego News Center.
The benchmarks used by Vizient to gauge quality and accountability include data from their clinical database, the National Healthcare Safety Network, and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey. In addition to hospital care, UC San Diego Health's ambulatory network proudly announced its highest rank, securing the 12th spot among 63 outpatient practices, a sign of the health system's consistent quality across all patient interactions.
UC San Diego Health focuses on more than just recognition. Chad VanDenBerg, the chief quality and patient safety officer, emphasized that their success comes from teamwork and a strong patient focus. He stated that the health system is united in improving quality and reliability. As San Diego's only academic health system, UC San Diego Health leads in patient care while promoting education and community research. This commitment was recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report, which named it the best hospital system in San Diego for 2024-25.
