2019 Vizient quality leadership award is third in a row for UTMB Health

I know this has been a difficult week, with all of the effects of Tropical Storm Imelda, but I wanted to end the week with some excellent news. I am very pleased to announce that, at a ceremony last night, UTMB was named, for the third consecutive year, a winner of the prestigious 2019 Vizient Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Award.

We are one of 11 academic health science centers in the U.S. to be honored. UTMB has received this national recognition for providing superior patient care in our hospitals, as measured by the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study. For us, it signifies another year of five-star performance!

“Three-peats” are always celebrated in the sports world, but ours means so much more because it speaks to how we care for others. This is a remarkable accomplishment, signifying that our work to achieve outstanding quality and safety is ingrained in our culture. We have shown that Best Care isn’t just an initiative; it’s fundamentally the way we work.

More details on the Birnbaum Award and UTMB’s ranking can be found at https://www.utmb.edu/newsroom/article12234.aspx.

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this outstanding achievement, which clearly demonstrates our commitment to providing the best care to every patient, every time. It takes every employee to achieve Best Care—from our faculty, advanced practice providers, nurses and other caregivers, to employees in support roles and administrators.

Special recognition goes to those who have championed Best Care from the very beginning, including Dr. Gulshan Sharma, vice president and chief medical and clinical innovation officer, Donna Sollenberger, former executive vice president and Health System CEO, and former UTMB Health President Dr. David Callender.

Looking ahead, Dr. Tim Harlin, new executive vice president and CEO of our Health System and his team are leading the charge to ensure continued outstanding performance in our patient care mission.  

This is such a proud moment for our institution. It is exciting and validating to be ranked among the best academic medical centers in the country for three years in a row. Thank you for all that you do to serve and support our patients and families.

Dr. Ben G. Raimer, MD, MA, FAAP
President ad interim