Baptist Health Receives 2013 Hospital Website Transparency Award with Distinction

BaptistHealth.net recognized for providing helpful, user-friendly safety and quality information to consumers

Baptist Health South Florida’s website, BaptistHealth.net, has received a 2013 Hospital Website Transparency Award with Distinction from two national organizations that promote healthcare quality and safety.

The honor recognizes outstanding hospital websites that promote transparency of quality measures in a manner that is helpful, practical and user-friendly for consumers. The Leapfrog Group and URAC (formerly known as the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) presented the award to Baptist Health and two other hospitals at the Leapfrog Group’s annual meeting in Crystal City, Va., on Dec. 3.

“URAC commends Baptist Health for its true initiative in protecting consumers through transparency and quality reporting,” said Kylanne Green, URAC president and CEO. “We are celebrating these hospitals who exhibit innovations and best practices, and it is encouraging to see these hospitals that are committed to informing, protecting and serving the community.”

“We view our corporate website, BaptistHealth.net, as a critical tool in our delivery of high-quality, compassionate care to the patients and families we serve,” said Thinh H. Tran, M.D., corporate vice president and chief medical and quality officer, Baptist Health South Florida. “When we share detailed information online about our performance, we help consumers make smart decisions about their healthcare and feel comfortable about the trust they place in our professionals.”

The Leapfrog group and URAC developed the Hospital Website Transparency Awards program criteria in accordance with the National Quality Forum’s guidelines for consumer-focused, Internet-based public reporting of health performance data as well as the Model Public Report Elements prepared for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. More information about the awards program can be found at urac.org/education-and-events/conferences-and-awards/hospital-web-site-transparency-awards.

Baptist Health is the largest faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the region. It includes Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, South Miami Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Homestead Hospital, West Kendall Baptist Hospital, Mariners Hospital, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute, Baptist Health Medical Group and Baptist Outpatient Services. Baptist Health Foundation, the organization’s fundraising arm, supports services at all hospitals and facilities.

About The Leapfrog Group
The Leapfrog Group is a voluntary program aimed at mobilizing employer purchasing power to alert America’s health industry that big leaps in health care safety, quality and customer value will be recognized and rewarded. Leapfrog works with its members to encourage transparency and easy access to healthcare information and to recognize hospitals that have a proven record of high-quality care.

About URAC
URAC is a national accreditation leader, offering over 30 highly regarded healthcare industry accreditation programs that are created and updated by independent, industry-spanning experts to address the latest market trends and needs. For more information, visit urac.org.

Contact: Kathy Barbour, APR; [email protected]; 786-596-6534