From the Inside Flap
The Baptist Health Care Journey to Excellence presents tested principles and best practices to help improve your corporate culture and customer satisfaction, which will lead to loyalty, stability, sustained productivity, and profitability in your own organization.
For three consecutive years, Baptist Health Care has been ranked as one of Fortune magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. All five of Baptist Health Care's hospitals have spent multiple years in the top one percent in patient satisfaction based on survey results from the largest hospital patient database in the world. In 2004, President George W. Bush awarded the company the coveted Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. But Baptist Health Care was not always a success story.
In 1995, Al Stubblefield and his management team had to face some harsh realities: patient satisfaction rating had reached an all-time low; recent corporate reengineering efforts had damaged employee morale; and five years of merger discussions with three different organizations further devastated morale. Al's suspicions were confirmed when an attitude survey conducted among his employees made it abundantly clear: they were not pleased with the Baptist Health Care experience. In addition to the internal conflicts, their flagship hospital was competing against two other facilities owned by national health care conglomerates with bigger budgets and deeper pockets. Outspending them was simply not possible.
This is the story about how one company beat the odds and rebounded to become a leader in its field and a pioneer in management. By creating a cultural transformation within their Baptist Health Care organization, employees became engaged and inspired to perform at the highest levels. Their positive outlook translated into a level of service and operational excellence that has become the national benchmark. Through their story, you too will learn how to transform your organization into a WOW! culture with a passion for excellence.
BAPTIST HEALTH CARE's (BHC) flagship organization, Baptist Hospital, Inc., was the winner of the 2003 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. BHC has created the Baptist Health Care Leadership Institute, which provides custom designed consulting and training services that help organizations develop and sustain a culture that strives for performance excellence and achieves high levels of customer and employee satisfaction. Find out more at ebaptisthealthcare.org and baptistleadershipinstitute.org.
From the Back Cover
"This crystal-clear book offers to any who will listen invaluable, detailed guidance on how and why to move toward a true culture of excellence in hospital care. It isn't easy, but, as their results show, it's a journey well worth taking."
—Donald M. Berwick, MD
President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
"Al Stubblefield and his team at Baptist Health Care have achieved the triple crown of performance: the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the tops in patient and employee satisfaction. This book tells you how they did it and how you and your organization can do it, too. You will find it to be a practical and compelling guide to building a successful organization. Leadership and culture matter and this book tells you how to achieve greatness in both. It is a must for anyone and any organization that wants to achieve performance excellence."
—Curt Nonamaque
President and CEO, VHA
"Congratulations on crafting an excellent message. I've long been a big believer in the power of authentic leadership to create a healthy company culture. This is an uplifting book about managing a company wisely toward a state of sustainable wellness. I hope the book is a great success. It's a message the world needs to hear."
—Geoffrey Colvin
Fortune, Editor at Large
"Baptist Health Care is a national leader in developing programs to energize the workforce through positively interacting with patients and their families. The end result is improved care and clinical results. I know the program well since their team has been sharing their experiences with many of our facilities. Most importantly, IT WORKS!! Thanks for sharing."
—Denny Shelton
Chairman and CEO, Triad Hospitals
"In my work, I visit, study, and consult with many of the world's best-run companies. Yet Baptist Health Care is truly in a class all to themselves. If you want to reach the very top of your industry, read this book, apply its principles, and learn how to hardwire your company for long-term success."
—Jim Harris, PhD
Chairman and President, The Jim Harris Group, Inc.
Coauthor of Finding and Keeping Great Employees, a Fortune "best business book"
