Cullman Regional’s continuous improvement initiatives are gaining attention – and awards. The hospital recently earned national recognitions as well as multiple performance and compliance rankings well above national and state benchmarks.

“To perform this well in multiple healthcare disciplines requires tremendous teamwork and clear sight to the overall goal of high-quality care,” said Cullman Regional CEO James Clements. “We want the communities we serve to know about the work being done here, and to feel confident in their local hospital.”

According to a statement from the hospital, “The hospital’s awards and rankings indicate its ability to effectively implement quality improvement initiatives, which are frequently prescribed courses of action by regulating agencies. While the initiatives are typically complex and require a well-coordinated and multi-disciplinary approach, the results are well worth the effort.”

One example provided is the hospital’s sepsis initiative. Based on calculations previously used by the Hospital Improvement Innovation Network to track hospital sepsis management, Cullman Regional’s implementation of sepsis protocols since 2017 has resulted in an estimated 194 lives saved.

“The mentality here is a consistent and constant drive to improve,” said William E. Smith, Jr., M.D., Cullman Regional’s Chief Medical Officer. “It’s an approach to our work shared by employees, medical staff and leadership.”

Other recent awards include:

• 2022 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” American College of Cardiology NCDR Participant
• 2022 American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold Plus Award
• 2022 American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Award