What UPMC Passavant's Best Hospital Recognition Means for Communities

By Elizabeth Piccione, M.D., President, UPMC Passavant

When UPMC Passavant was recently recognized as the No. 2 Best Hospital in the Pittsburgh region by U.S. News & World Report, I felt immense pride. But more, I felt gratitude.

Gratitude for the physicians, nurses and countless others whose dedication makes this possible. Most importantly, gratitude for the trust our communities place in us every day. What matters is what this means for the people we serve throughout Pittsburgh's northern communities. It’s the result of years of intentional investment with a goal of bringing high-quality health care closer to home.

Bringing More Advanced Care North of Pittsburgh

Accessing specialized care can often mean traveling into the city. That expertise remains there. But over the past decade, we have worked deliberately to bring more of those capabilities north.

Today, people throughout northern communities can access nationally recognized care at UPMC Passavant's outpatient locations and hospitals in Cranberry and McCandless townships. This includes the locally embedded expertise of UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh — recently named in the top 10 pediatric hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report, UPMC Magee-Womens, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute and other specialized programs. 

We design services around the needs of our communities to reduce stress during difficult times. And we will continue expanding those services when and where people need them most.

Advanced Care Inside Our Communities

Our teams perform complex care that, years ago, would have only been available in urban settings. In many parts of the country, accessing specialized care means traveling to a major city. 

At UPMC, we take a different approach. We bring advanced services inside communities so people can receive expert care closer to home.

Some of the most advanced neurosurgical services, thoracic surgery, cancer treatment, heart and vascular procedures and orthopaedic care are now available at UPMC Passavant. That evolution reflects a vision we set years ago and have worked relentlessly to achieve. 

Excellence Is Built on Culture

Something I’m most proud of is UPMC Passavant's Magnet designation, the gold standard for nursing excellence. A Magnet hospital is a place where teamwork is the norm and people feel empowered to do their best work.

UPMC Passavant team celebrating a recent investment for the community, a new Linac machine for advanced cancer care.

For our patients and families, Magnet designation means safe care, top-quality experiences and confidence that they are being cared for by teams committed to the highest care standards. Recently, during a Magnet site visit, surveyors repeatedly commented on the extraordinary collaboration and shared governance they observed. They saw nurses and physicians supporting one another and always putting patients first. 

That culture took years to develop, and every person who walks through our doors feels the difference.

Quality and Safety Matter

The reality is that quality varies by hospital, and objective measures matter. UPMC Passavant has earned an "A" Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for 12 straight years in a row, an accomplishment that reflects our consistent focus on safety and continuous improvement. 

For the people we serve, those distinctions mean fewer complications, lower infection rates, safer care and better health outcomes. 

That requires attracting and retaining outstanding care teams who choose to build their careers with us because they believe in the culture we have created together.

Never Standing Still

We are continually investing in people, technology, facilities and services to constantly improve care.

At UPMC Passavant, that has meant adding advanced cancer treatment technologies, expanding robotic surgery, recruiting top specialists and continually strengthening our workforce.

It also means looking ahead. Construction is underway on a new outpatient center at Clearview Mall in Butler. This will bring additional specialty services and diagnostic imaging closer to home for people who already rely on UPMC for their care. 

Thank You for Your Trust

UPMC Passavant's ranking as the No. 2 hospital in the Pittsburgh region is an honor. What matters most is why we achieved it.

Our communities will continue to guide us, and our commitment will always be about earning and keeping your trust.