West Kendall Baptist Hospital and Healthy West Kendall Join Communities of Excellence 2026
MIAMI, FL – July 5, 2017 – The Healthy West Kendall coalition has been selected as one of five communities in the U.S. to participate in Communities of Excellence 2026. The coalition, led by West Kendall Baptist Hospital, uses the Baldrige Excellence Framework to improve the health status, educational attainment and economic vitality of the community.
Healthy West Kendall coalition members attend online collaborative learning sessions to increase their knowledge of the Baldrige Excellence Framework, which uses a systems approach to improve performance. They will apply the proven methods to elevate the West Kendall community and share best practices with four other communities, which include San Diego County, Calif., Brookfield/Marceline, Mo., Maryville, Mo., and Charleston, W.Va.
“I had been searching for a partner that would help West Kendall Baptist Hospital utilize the Baldridge Excellence Framework in our community. We found that partner in Communities of Excellence 2026,” said Javier Hernández-Lichtl, chief executive officer of West Kendall Baptist Hospital. “Working side by side with the Florida Department of Health, Miami-Dade County School Board, local government, business partners, neighbors and many others, we will focus on increasing the workforce in West Kendall, recognizing that job creation is the catalyst for decreasing poverty and, in turn, improving health and quality of life for our residents.”
Communities of Excellence 2026 believes that these communities will grow stronger when they have the opportunity to collaborate in a positive and engaging learning environment. The vision is that by the year 2026 – the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding – communities across the U.S. will be working together to achieve and sustain improved health, educational outcomes and economic conditions for citizens.
Healthy West Kendall has garnered other noteworthy partnerships and received awards for its progress and grants to sustain the innovative programs, such as the Healthy Hub – a health screening kiosk located in the hospital’s main lobby offering free health screenings, health risk assessments, personalized patient education, referrals for follow-up primary care and information about free community resources for healthy living. The hospital also is addressing access to care and the area’s shortage of primary care physicians through its Family Medicine Center and Family Medicine Residency Program with Florida International University’s Wertheim School of Medicine.
The goal of Healthy West Kendall is to create the Healthiest Community in Florida. To learn more, visit https://BaptistHealth.net/HealthyWestKendall.
About West Kendall Baptist Hospital
West Kendall Baptist Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with eight hospitals (Baptist Hospital, Baptist Children’s Hospital, Doctors Hospital, Fisherman’s Community Hospital, Homestead Hospital, Mariners Hospital, South Miami Hospital and West Kendall Baptist Hospital), nearly 50 outpatient and urgent care facilities, Baptist Health Medical Group, Baptist Health Quality Network and internationally renowned centers of excellence. The not-for-profit, faith-based Baptist Health has approximately 16,000 employees and 2,300 affiliated physicians. Baptist Health South Florida has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net and connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/BaptistHealthSF and on Twitter and Instagram @BaptistHealthSF.
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