Numerous firms are in the business of ranking hospitals (U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades, Truven Health Analytics, LeapFrog Group, American Nurses Credentialing Center, etc.). Recently, Becker’s Hospital Review analyzed all of these sources and other data to develop its annual list of “100 Great Hospitals in America.”

Becker’s data isn’t a ranking – it presents a list of 100 hospitals in alphabetical order. The value of this list is that it identifies key trends and activities that executives can use to improve the position of their hospitals in today’s rapidly changing landscape. If you’re in a career transition phase, you can use this information to acquire valuable knowledge and help differentiate yourself among your peers.

The information is an “easy read” – just three paragraphs per hospital – so you can scan through the list, review some of the data, and perhaps gain some inspiration about how you can evolve your hospital’s clinical and business practices to increase performance in one or more areas.

Becker’s report also serves as a reminder of the importance of communicating the accomplishments of your hospital. No matter how great a job you’re doing, if you don’t get the word out there – both to your community and to your internal personnel – you increase the risk of placing your hospital at a competitive disadvantage. If you haven’t yet implemented or strengthened your hospital’s strategic communication plan, it’s important to begin to evaluate how proactive communications can:

(1) Improve the perception of your hospital by industry analysts and the board
(2) Improve awareness of the value and quality of your hospital within the community
(3) Improve the alignment of your staff with clinical and business goals

To view Becker’s data on “100 Great Hospitals” and discover how they’re differentiating themselves, you can access the report at:
http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/100-great-hospitals-2014/full-list.html