Awards and Recognition

We invite unbiased accrediting organizations to tell us how we compare to other healthcare facilities and institutions nationwide. Our many awards, accreditations, and high rankings affirm that we meet the highest quality and safety standards for hospitals and rank among the top hospitals in the United States.

We have been recognized as a healthcare leader in many areas, including:

Clinical Outcomes & Excellence

Magnet® Designation

Baystate Medical Center has received Magnet® designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) four consecutive times, placing it among leaders nationally in nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes.

Beacon Award - Gold

In 2021, Baystate Medical Center’s Medical & Surgical ICU earned the Gold Beacon Award for Excellence by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. This is the ninth time the ICU has won this national three-year award, the fourth time in a row, and the second time receiving the Gold level. The award recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s standards in leadership structures and systems, appropriate staffing and staff engagement, effective communication, learning and development, evidence-based practice and processes, and outcome measurement.

Beacon Award - Silver

For the third time in a rw, Baystate Medical Center's Heart & Vascular Critical Care (HVCC) and Progressive Care Units (PCU) were recognized by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses with the Silver Beacon Award for Excellence. The award honors individual units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care and serve as role models to others on their journey to excellent patient and family care.

American Hospital Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA)

For 2023, Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Baystate Noble Hospital, and Baystate Wing Hospital were all recognized for quality in stroke care by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association with their Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll quality achievement awards, recognizing Baystate Health's commitment to ensure patients with Type 2 diabetes, who might be at higher risk for complications, receive the most up-to-date, evidence-based care when hospitalized due to stroke.

Baystate Medical Center was also recognized with the Get With The Guidelines® - Target: Stroke Elite recognition. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment.

Paul Coverdell Collaboration Award

Baystate Medical Center received the Paul Coverdell Stroke – Systems of Care Collaboration Award for 2022. The award recognizes Baystate Medical Center’s achieving industry leading Door-to-CT times and rate of dysphagia screening in stroke patients.

IHI Age-Friendly Health Systems

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement recognized Baystate Medical Center and Baystate Health's three Community Health Centers as one of the top age-friendly healthcare institutions in the nation, having shown exemplary alignment with the elements of the 4Ms Framework by reporting the number of older adults reached with the 4Ms over at least a three-month period.  Age-Friendly Health Systems Participants are hospitals and health practices that have formally committed to putting the 4Ms into practice and had IHI review their plans.

Quality, Safety & Innovation

Institutional Excellence in Holistic Nursing Practice Award

In 2023 Baystate Medical Center was given the Institutional Excellence in Holistic Nursing Practice Award. This award recognizes and rewards an institution's incorporation of Holistic Nursing practices demonstrating the Core Values of Holistic Nursing and outstanding professionalism. Baystate was selected for implementing innovative holistic approaches that have offered substantive advantages to patients, staff and the institution itself. Our holistic nurses provide M technique (gentle touch), Reiki to our patients and promote self care of our nurses with the use of aromatherapy and use of our 13 renewal rooms to improve resilience and well being. Baystate has demonstrated excellence and professionalism in Holistic Nursing practices by incorporating the philosophies, competencies.

Nurse Residency Accreditation

The Baystate Health Nurse Residency Programs at Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Franklin Medical Center, and Baystate Wing Hospital were all accredited as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

CHIME Most Wired Award

Baystate Health has been recognized as a 2023 Digital Health Most Wired Health System by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME), moving from level 7 to level 8 on a scale of 10, ranking among global industry leaders in health informatics.

Value, Financial Stability, & Sustainability

Accountable Care Organizations Certification

In 2022, Baycare Health Partners’ ACO received the ACO Certification under their LEAP Standards (Learning, Equity, and Patient-Centeredness). ACOs participating in the program have met a set of objective criteria focused on core ACO capabilities demonstrating dedication to patient-centered care, use of evidence-based and data-driven strategies to improve care delivery, and commitment to addressing long-standing health inequities.

Premier Supply Chain Excellence Award

Baystate Noble received the 2022 Premier Supply Chain Excellence Award, honoring top performers based on four quarters of data submitted to Premier's SupplyFocus application and are determined using four industry standard case-mix-index-adjusted supply expense ratios. By celebrating the successes of these leading facilities, Premier aims to encourage all of its members to share and adopt new ideas to transform healthcare to optimum levels of performance. 

Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence

Baystate Medical Center received the Partner for Change Award from Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Excellence campaign. This award recognizes an organization’s ongoing commitment to improving its environmental performance and efforts to build sustainability into the operations and culture of the institution.

AORN Go Clear Award

Baystate Wing Hospital was granted the 2023 AORN Go Clear Award, Gold Level, for their efforts in reducing staff exposure to surgical smoke.  Facilities are rated on education performance, smoke evacuation compliance, and ensuring the facility has sufficient smoke evacuators and accessories. 

Mass Save Climate Leader Award

Baystate Health has been selected by the Sponsors of Mass Save as a 2022 Mass Save Climate Leader. As one of 19 inaugural recipients, Baystate Health is recognized for “ongoing efforts to curb energy use and lead the Commonwealth to a net zero future.”

Baystate Health Achieves High Performer Status in 2024 Health Equality Index

The Office of Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion is pleased to announce that Baystate Health has achieved High Performer designation from the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2024 Health Equality Index Survey (HEI). The HEI is the national LGBTQIA+ benchmarking tool that evaluates more than 2,400 healthcare facilities nationwide related to the equity and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ patients, visitors and employees. The ratings for each participating facility are available on the HRC website and promoted to more than 3 million healthcare consumers.

This 2024 designation is a tremendous accomplishment for Baystate Health, as in 2022, only 2 out of 4 hospitals (BMC/BWH) achieved the base-level Foundational Policies designation. Through the unwavering commitment of a committee of staff members spanning across the enterprise, as well as leadership support, Baystate Health made enhancements to policies, procedures, and facilities prior to the submission of the 2024 survey.

Some highlights include:

• Greater than a 50% improvement in scoring requirements for Patient Services and Support.

• Significant updates to five Baystate Health policies pertaining to gender identity for patients and employees.

• Collaboration with the BH Facilities Department to update single-stall restrooms to have gender inclusive signage.

• Roll-out of pronoun stickers for employee ID badges and a system enhancement to allow employees the option of entering personal pronouns in Workday.

While this designation is an honorable achievement, we remain committed to our goal of ensuring gender affirming care for all patients and families receiving care at Baystate Health. The HEI results and recommendations provide us with a roadmap as we continue to examine how we can better standardize care and improve quality and equity for the LGBTQIA+ population. On behalf of the Office of Diversity, Health Equity and Inclusion at Baystate Health, we extend our sincere appreciation to all who contributed to this milestone achievement, as we continue our journey in advancing the care and enhancing the lives of our LGBTQIA+ patients, families and employees.

Employment and Workplace

eHealthcare Leadership Awards

Baystate Health’s online efforts won two eHealthcare Leadership Awards for their efforts to promote public health information and diversity, equity & inclusion. The recognition was based on a standard of digital excellence and comparisons with similar organizations.