U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has ranked AdventHealth for Children’s neonatology program in the new 2019-20 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published online today.

AdventHealth for Children ranked No. 31 nationally and No. 1 in Florida for neonatology.

The 13th annual Best Children’s Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology, and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, and urology.

“AdventHealth for Children is committed to providing the highest quality, most advanced and compassionate whole-person care to the children and families we serve. Being ranked among the top 50 programs for newborn care for two consecutive years is a recognition of that steadfast commitment,” said Dr. Rajan Wadhawan, senior executive officer of AdventHealth for Children and a board-certified neonatologist. “Delivering a baby prematurely or having a critically ill child is a very difficult time for parents. Our stellar team of talented nurses, physicians, and volunteers — who care for more than 2,000 babies in our neonatal intensive care units each year — demonstrate their compassion and unmatched skill every day.”

“The Best Children’s Hospitals rankings were designed to help provide families seeking the best medical care for their sick child with access to the most comprehensive data available,” said Ben Harder, Managing Editor and Chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News. “The rankings, coupled with guidance from pediatricians, help families make better-informed decisions about where to find high-quality, compassionate care for their children when they need it most.”

U.S. News introduced the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available. The rankings are the most comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals.

The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings rely on clinical data and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists. The rankings methodology factors in patient outcomes, such as mortality and infection rates, as well as available clinical resources and compliance with best practices.

AdventHealth Kissimmee is launching another major expansion.

The campus’s three-story patient tower will soon be getting an additional three floors. Preliminary work has begun on an elevator shaft, with actual tower construction expected to begin in the fall.

The project is the latest in a series of improvements on the campus at 2450 N. Orange Blossom Trail, including:

• an expanded emergency room, which that opened in 2014;
• the existing three-story, 80-bed patient tower, which opened in 2015;
• and a major expansion of the surgical suites, which is in progress and expected to be completed in January 2020.

The floors are expected to open in the fall of 2021, bringing the campus bed count to 240.

“This investment illustrates our commitment to the health of the Kissimmee community,” said AdventHealth Kissimmee CEO Sheila Rankin. “We are dedicated to providing whole-person care close to home for the growing population of Osceola County in the years to come.”

Rapid population growth has contributed to the need for additional capacity at the campus, as reflected in the number of patients seen at the campus: In 2018, AdventHealth Kissimmee had about 9,000 admissions and more than 67,000 emergency room visits.

The three new floors, totaling 123,000 square feet and containing 80 private rooms, will be built atop the existing three-story patient tower.

ESa is the architect on the project, and Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor. The project is expected to generate 500 construction jobs. The number of hospital jobs generated has not yet been determined.

AdventHealth campuses in the tri-county area —  Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Celebration, East Orlando, Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Park — were awarded an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. The designation recognizes AdventHealth’s efforts in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care.

“AdventHealth’s success is the direct result of our team members and their hard work and commitment to delivering first-rate, whole-person care.” said Daryl Tol, president and CEO of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division.

“To be recognized nationally as an ‘A’ hospital is an accomplishment the whole community should take pride in,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ grade are making it a priority to protect patients from preventable medical harm and error. We congratulate hospital leaders, board members, staff, volunteers and clinicians who work so hard to earn this A.”

Developed under the guidance of a national Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

Every day, these selfless superheroes support patients by cheering on their recovery and rallying around their journey to whole health. If you’ve ever received care from a nurse, then you understand firsthand the hidden superpowers they possess.

Healing Power
Nurses are a crucial part of your health care team. They administer medicine, help make you comfortable and ensure you get the care you need. But nurses care for much more than your physical health. They help restore you to whole health.

Spending time in a hospital or managing a chronic condition is taxing on your body, mind and spirit. Nurses are there for you — every step of the way. They go above and beyond their call of duty to connect you with the resources you need to feel better, and go out of their way to spend time and connect with you.

It’s in those little moments that the magic often happens — that you feel the warmth, love and support from someone who’s in this with you. There’s no medicine that a doctor can prescribe — and no therapy to complete — that can help restore your faith and positivity the way a nurse can.

Superhuman Strength
When the going gets tough, nurses are there by your side. They tap into a superhuman physical, mental and spiritual strength to get you and your family through some of your toughest times. They can power through physical and emotionally draining times, and they share that strength with others so that, together, you become stronger and ready to take on whatever comes next.

Endurance That Defies the Odds
Nurses can call on their endurance to make it through long shifts, lengthy to-do lists, and heavy responsibilities. Even more impressive, they don’t let their patients know how tired or tapped out they are. They continue to provide the highest-quality care to each and every patient they encounter — no matter how long they’ve been on their feet or what they’ve already experienced on their shift — so you or your loved one can feel your best.

X-Ray Vision
Your nurse is often aware of your needs before you even realize them yourself. The first to know when something in your health changes (or is about to change), your nurse connects with your doctor to ensure you get the care you need when you need it. It’s a unique way nurses can see through every situation and make a difference in your health and wellness.

Infinite Empathy
A nurse’s ability to connect with patients and support them on their journey is its own superpower. Day in and day out, nurses work with children, adults, families, parents, siblings, and spouses to help them cope with a diagnosis, manage treatment and find the strength to carry on. Without a nurse by your side, the journey to whole health would likely feel impossible.

Thank You, Nurses
Nurses show these superpowers every single day but will be the first to tell you they’re just doing their job. Today, celebrate National Nurses Week by thanking a nurse for all they’ve done for you and your family, and recognize them for the superheroes they truly are.

One of the nation’s largest faith-based health systems, with 47 hospital campuses in nine states, officially has a new name – AdventHealth. The name change for the organization formally known as Adventist Health System is part of a systemwide brand transformation to become a more consumer-centric, connected and identifiable national system of care, enabling consumers to easily distinguish locations and services across its vast care network, which serves more than 5 million patients annually.

An answer to the fragmentation and complexity of the industry that has made it increasingly more difficult for consumers to navigate the health care landscape over the years, all of the organization’s wholly owned hospitals and more than 1,200 care sites now carry the AdventHealth name and logo, with a brand promise to help consumers feel whole.

“This is a historic day for our organization, and I can’t be more excited about the direction we are heading,” said Terry Shaw, president/CEO for AdventHealth. “Our facilities and team members are galvanized around one name, brand, and mission, and in doing this, we will deliver on our promise of wholeness and make the health journey easier for consumers.”

AdventHealth, which is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is an expression of the church’s health care ministry. The new name conveys an expectation of things to come in health care, while also drawing a strong connection to the organization’s rich Seventh-day Adventist roots. The AdventHealth logo is a symbol of wholeness that illustrates the breadth and diversity of a connected system of care, and at its core is the cross, which is at the center of the organization’s work.

“More than 150 years after the Adventist health care ministry began, we are proud to carry on this legacy as AdventHealth to provide healing, express love and impart hope upon those we encounter on our sacred mission to deliver Christ-centered, whole-person care,” said Gary Thurber, board chairman for AdventHealth.

As part of the brand transformation, AdventHealth has launched a new, consumer-centric website, www.AdventHealth.com. Complete with a new easy-to-navigate user interface, the website features enhanced search functionality, appointment scheduling capabilities, self-service billing and payment options and helpful content for health care consumers.

Ahead of the brand initiative, the organization introduced a unique internal culture and service initiative called “The Whole Care Experience,” which aligned 60,000 team members to deliver consistently on its mission, vision, values and service standards. Publicly, a comprehensive, four-month transition campaign featured AdventHealth digital, print and television advertising.

“We have a legacy grounded in faith, and a mission powered by thousands of dedicated and compassionate team members,” said Shaw. “Historically, we have consisted of about 30 brands. Now, united as AdventHealth under one brand promise, we are striving to provide preeminent whole-person care, focused on helping consumers seamlessly navigate from one care setting to the next and committed to never discharging anyone from our care. This is how we will fulfill our mission and be a beacon of light in the communities we serve.”

Going forward, consumers can expect to see new AdventHealth signage at hospitals and other facilities. A national campaign featuring the “feel whole” message is also underway in markets across the country. In addition, several major partnerships will prominently feature the AdventHealth brand, including the AdventHealth Training Center, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ training facility; and DAYTONA Speedweeks Presented By AdventHealth, which is highlighted by the 61^stannual DAYTONA 500.

The name change is not the result of a merger or acquisition, and the health system’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ, affiliation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, ownership and business structure remain the same.