Healthcare Directory

54 | 2017 Medical & Dental Directory GENERAL MEDICINE When it comes to healthcare, nothing matters more than quality. Obtaining high quality care during a hospital visit can mean the difference between life and death or lingering health issues versus a speedy recovery. But quality doesn't come easily or naturally. What Quality Really Means: CAPE FEAR VALLEY HEALTH EARNS MERITS OF EXCELLENCE BY DONNIE BYERS There are approximately 5,600 hospitals in the U.S., each providing a different level of care to the public. U.S. News & World Report publishes an annual list of the nation's Best Hospitals, as well as a state-by-state list, to let patients know what's available in the marketplace. Cape Fear Valley Health made the North Carolina list for 2016. The health system did it by earning five quality distinctions. No other hospital in the state earned more. To the average person, rankings from national publications may seem insignificant. But industry experts understand what it takes to be mentioned alongside prestigious medical centers like the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital and UCLA Medical Center. So how did, Cape Fear Valley Health, the state's 8th largest health system, pull off such an improbable achievement? By reinventing itself over the years in an effort to become a world-class hospital. The strategy involved greater teamwork, continually upgrading to the latest medical technology, and always putting patients at the center of everything the health system does. CEO Mike Nagowski championed the transformation effort soon after joining Cape Fear Valley in 2008. It was a bold decision because of the imploding U.S. economy at the time. Hospitals nationwide were either closing their doors or contracting in size. But Nagowski bet that committing to greater excellence would pay off in the long run. He was right. The U.S. economy has rebounded, Cape Fear Valley has steadily grown its service footprint across southeastern North Carolina, and U.S. News & World Report's latest Best Hospitals list has Cape Fear Valley's name on it. The health system has received a number of other recent quality recognitions, as well. They include a letter grade "A" in 2015 and 2016 for Cape Fear Valley Health made the North Carolina list for 2016. The health system did it by earning five quality distinctions. No other hospital in the state earned more.

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