CLEARWATER, Fla., June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BayCare Health System and several of its hospitals today were recognized for their excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience, and financial health.

The news comes from IBM Watson Health Health^®, which lists BayCare in the top 20 percent of large health systems in the country. This is the second year in a row BayCare has been recognized with this honor.

In addition, BayCare's St. Joseph's Hospitals in the Tampa area were named among the nation's 100 Top Hospitals for the third consecutive year and fourth time overall.  These include St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Women's Hospital and St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Tampa as well as St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz and St. Joseph's Hospital-South in Riverview.

IBM Watson Health^® has identified the top hospitals from a rigorous evaluation of 3,134 short-term, acute care, non-federal hospitals in the U.S. The annual list recognizes excellence in clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience and financial health. IBM Watson Health established the list to help identify best practices that may help other healthcare organizations achieve consistent, balanced, and sustainable high performance.

In addition to the high ranking of St. Joseph's Hospitals, three others in the BayCare system were ranked in the top ten percent of the country: Morton Plant Hospital in
Clearwater, Mease Countryside Hospital and Mease Dunedin Hospital.

"BayCare's 'true north' is clinical excellence and these results tell us we are on the right path," said President/CEO Tommy Inzina. "This recognition demonstrates the strength and focus of our physicians and team members who are providing extraordinary care, particularly during this very disruptive and challenging time."

According to IBM Watson Health, as compared to similar hospitals, the hospitals included on the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list had better results on key clinical and operational performance indicators. These include survival rates, patient complications, healthcare associated infections, 30-day mortality and 30-day hospital-wide readmission rates, length of stay, throughput in emergency rooms, inpatient expenses, profitability and ratings from patients.

"Hospitals, health systems and the dedicated clinicians and staff who work at these organizations have emerged as true heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are grateful to be able to recognize these extraordinary leaders at this time," said Kyu Rhee, M.D., M.P.P., Vice President and Chief Health Officer, IBM Watson Health. "From small community hospitals to major teaching hospitals, organizations on this list demonstrate a relentless commitment to high value, patient-centered care and innovation. It is clear that the COVID-19 crisis will be a catalyst for reinvention, and we believe these top performing hospitals are positioned to emerge stronger and smarter out of this crisis."

For more information, visit http://www.100tophospitals.com/.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit www.BayCare.org.

About IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals® Program
The IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals Program's annual studies result in the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, IBM Watson Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list and IBM Watson Health 15 Top Health Systems list. Organizations do not apply or pay for this honor or pay to promote their award. Award-winning hospitals and health systems serve as a model of excellence for the industry. Visit http://www.100tophospitals.com/  for more information.

To view this announcement, you can also visit BayCareNewsroom.org.

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SOURCE BayCare Health System