Parrish Medical Center has been named America's No. 1 Healing Hospital for the third straight year by the Baptist Healing Trust in Nashville, Tenn.
 
PMC has completely dominated the Healing Hospital designation, earning the award each of the three years it has been in existence.
 
Erie Chapman, M.T.S., J.D., Baptist Healing Trust president and chief executive officer, made the presentation at PMC on Thursday, Feb. 7.
 
Chapman also presented the Trust's first- ever Healing Hospital CEO of the Year Award to George Mikitarian, the hospital's president and chief executive officer, "in recognition of his exceptional leadership, noteworthy courage and continuous display of radical loving care."
 
The Baptist Healing Trust defines the goal of radical loving care as "establishing a culture that supports a continuous chain of compassion and quality," and describes it as "a full step beyond kindness and a quantum leap beyond customer service."
 
PMC Board Chairman Nathaniel Pilate said such recognition from a prestigious national health care organization affirms the hospital's mission and purpose.
 
"On behalf of our board of directors, medical staff and every care partner of Parrish Medical Center, we are humbled and honored to be chosen for the third straight year by the Baptist Healing Trust as our nation's No. 1 Healing Hospital," said  Pilate. "The board is equally proud of Mr. Mikitarian, who has served as PMC's CEO since 2001.
 
"This demonstrates the dedication of every physician, employee, volunteer and board member to our mission of 'healing experiences for everyone all the time," Pilate added.
 
Mikitarian said the awards result from the PMC board of directors' leadership and hospital care partners' determination to provide patients with radical loving care.
 
"At PMC, we don't talk about healing and loving care; our care partners live it every day. We are incredibly proud and humbled to be the country's only hospital to ever receive this title," Mikitarian said.
 
Chapman said that America's #1 Healing Hospital designation is made by the Baptist Healing Trust leadership team. Hospitals cannot apply for the award.  It is based on information the Trust believes reliably demonstrates an exceptional commitment of hospital leadership to patient-centered care.
 
"We are pleased that George Mikitarian has agreed to participate as co-chair of our national selection and steering committee," said Chapman. "By doing so PMC has willingly removed itself from consideration for the Healing Hospital award in future years; instead, PMC will mentor other hospitals."
 
The Baptist Healing Trust uses six criteria to define a healing hospital include:
1. Work is done out of a passion to care for others.
2. Every employee, physician and volunteer treats patients with respect, dignity, and loving care.
3. Every single leader, physician, director, manager or supervisor treats employees, volunteers and each other with dignity and respect.
4. All hiring is done with a focus on finding people who have a "servant's heart" and are mission driven.
5. Orientation and staff reviews are focused on a balanced evaluation of both results and values.
6. Significant changes in systems and structures are made that support and cultivate a culture of loving care.
 
 
About The Baptist Healing Trust
Baptist Healing Trust was created in 2002 from a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Baptist Hospital System to Ascension Health in St. Louis, MO.   The Trust provides a sophisticated range of consulting services and support tools to selected hospitals across the nation and local charities that are interested in growing a culture of loving care.
 
About Parrish Medical Center
Parrish Medical Center is a 210-bed, not-for-profit public medical center serving Florida's Space Coast for 50 years. It has also been recognized as Modern Healthcare magazine's Spirit of Excellence for Service award winner, Starizon and Healthcare Design magazine's Discovery Award winner for exceptional patient experience, and has earned more disease-specific Gold Seals of Approval for quality and excellence from the Joint Commission than any other hospital in Central Florida.

Content provided by Parrish Medical Center, For more information visit www.parrishmed.com.