PHILADELPHIA – The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC), and Lancaster General Health (LGH) have each achieved Magnet® reaccreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®; this accreditation is the highest institutional honor awarded to hospitals to recognize excellence in nursing. All five Penn Medicine facilities, including HUP, PPMC, Pennsylvania Hospital, Chester County Hospital and Lancaster General Health, are Magnet® accredited.
Achieving Magnet® accreditation is one of the highest professional nursing achievements a hospital can attain. Less than seven percent of hospitals in the Nation are Magnet® designated. To receive this honor, every four years institutions must undergo a rigorous evaluation that includes submission of a written application, review of quality data, and an on-site visit. Each component of the evaluation aims to validate nursing excellence-- ongoing efforts to improve professional practice and advance organizational culture. In particular, the evaluative process examines organizational attributes (e.g., the percentage of nurses holding a bachelor of science in nursing degree), evidence of adherence to nearly 70 standards focused on elements of nursing practice, and high performance on a variety of quality metrics including nursing sensitive indicators and nursing and patient satisfaction. A group of trained appraisers conduct the evaluation by first scoring the written documentation; and if the document is satisfactory, subsequently completing a site visit.
“This recognition reflects the tireless commitment by our interdisciplinary nursing teams to deliver exceptional care for patients and their families,” said Regina Cunningham, PhD, RN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive for the University of Pennsylvania Health System. “These efforts throughout Penn Medicine maintain our position at the forefront of nursing in clinical care, research, and professional practice.”
Developing a culture of excellence that meets the requirements outlined by the Magnet® Recognition Program, Penn hospitals were cited for providing first-rate care to patients and their families through a shared governance model implemented by leadership and staff. This is fostered by a culture of patient safety by Unit-based clinical leadership teams, as well as a solid commitment to continuing education and nursing specialty certification.
The five facilities are among only 28 hospitals in Pennsylvania and 444 hospitals worldwide that are Magnet designated.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.