Awards, Accreditations & Recognition

We are grateful to have been honored by various awards and accreditations over the years.

Valleywise Health has been recognized for creating a caring service environment where quality and service for our patients always comes first. In our continued effort to serve the community, we have had the privilege to be honored by receiving awards, recognition and accreditations from various entities.

Quality and Safety

National accreditation from DNV (Det Norske Veritas) Healthcare, Inc., one of the world’s leading accreditation companies. DNV is the only hospital accreditation program approved by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that integrates the new ISO 9001 Quality Management System with the Medicare Conditions of Participation.
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) re-certified Valleywise Health as a “star” site in its prestigious Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), making Valleywise Health the only hospital in Arizona with star certification and one of only nine hospitals across the nation to earn this distinction.
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has awarded Valleywise Health NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based, patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long‐term, participative relations.

Medical Services

The Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Valleywise Health will receive $300,000 a year for up to five years to support efforts to improve the health outcomes for minority and/or disadvantaged re-entrants, ages 18-26, in transition from jail to their communities. Valleywise Health is among seven organizations nationwide to receive federal grant funding under a new grant program, the Re-Entry Community Linkages (RE-LINK) Program.
The McDowell Community Health Center was honored with the “Flash Shot Award” for its efforts to protect patients during the Monkeypox outbreak.
Valleywise Health received multiple honorees, including our dialysis units at the Phoenix and Peoria Comprehensive Health Centers – the first dialysis units in Arizona to win a TAPI “Top Shot” award.
Valleywise Health community health centers were honored with Dr. Daniel T. Cloud Award for immunization efforts in teens and toddlers.

Trauma

Valleywise Health, the first hospital in Arizona to be recognized as a Level I Trauma Center, was reverified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) in 2023. The ACS completed a rigorous review of Valleywise Health Medical Center and found the organization up to its high standards to continue providing the highest quality lifesaving care. “Being a Level I Trauma center has long been a point of pride for us,” Steve Purves, President and CEO, said. “Valleywise Health was first verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the ACS in 1979, and we’ve maintained that high level of service to Maricopa County residents since.” Read more here.
Valleywise Health has earned recertification as a Pediatric Prepared Advanced Care Emergency Department. This is a highly prestigious recognition presented through a collaboration between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP). This designation represents the highest level of Pediatric Prepared Emergency Care certification, where we had to meet rigorous standards, including the requirement that 100% of our nursing staff must have advanced pediatric emergency care training. This reinforces our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional care to our community and is a source of pride for the entire team.
The PPEC program is a partnership between hospitals, physicians, nurses, and emergency personnel, AzAAP and the Emergency Medical Services for Children program at the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Burn

The Arizona Burn Center maintains Burn Center Verification status by meeting the criteria of the American Burn Association.
Verification/Consultation Program. This means the center meets the highest standard of care for pediatric and adult burn patients as approved by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons.
2022 Health Equity Award, Arizona State University College of Health Solutions.
Dr. Kevin Foster, Arizona Burn Center-Valleywise Heath, is a nationally regarded leader in burn care. He has been recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal’s Health Care Heroes Awards as Physician of the Year and Innovator of the Year.
Danika Hines, Physical Therapist, was awarded the Phoenix Journal’s 2023 Health Care Heroes Award. This award highlights her exceptional contributions at the Arizona Burn Center- Valleywise Health and making life changing impacts for patients inside and outside the Arizona Burn Center.

Surgery

In 2022, Valleywise Health became one of four facilities in Arizona to have earned the Go Clear Award for our achievement in eliminating hazardous smoke from surgical procedures. The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) presents this award to recognize healthcare facilities committed to providing increased surgical patient and healthcare worker safety by implementing practices that eliminate smoke caused by lasers and electrosurgery devices during surgery. Valleywise Health earned this award by undergoing comprehensive surgical smoke education and testing and providing the medical devices and resources necessary to evacuate surgical smoke during all smoke-generating procedures.
Dr. Daniela Cocco was awarded the Phoenix Journal’s 2023 Health Care Heroes Award. This award highlights her exceptional contributions to her unique approach to breast cancer treatment and dedication to her patients.

Laboratory

Accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP).
Certified by the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments (CLIA) certification of registration from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Board Certified Medical Laboratory Scientists by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

Behavioral Health

Gene Cavallo, Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health, was honored with a 2019 Mercy Cares Rise Award for Leadership and Advocacy, and 2019 Leaders of the Year in Public Policy for advancing healthcare in Arizona from the Capitol Times.
Vicki Staples, Director of Outpatient Behavioral Health , was awarded the Arizona State University Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy Leadership in Advocacy Award (2019).
Valleywise Health’s First Episode Center- Avondale was honored with a 2022 Mercy Cares RISE Award for Innovation. The FEC supports adolescents and young adults achieve their goals and live their best lives even after or while experiencing psychosis.
The First Episode Center- Avondale was honored with a 2022 Phoenix Business Journal Health Care Heroes Team Health Award.
Dr. Beth Darling, ACT Medical Director, won the Arizona Psychiatric Society’s Howard F. Wulsin Excellence in Education Award in 2022.
Valleywise Health’s First Episode Center- Avondale has been designated as a Mercy Care Center of Excellence for Transition Aged Youth/FEP (first episode of psychosis) for 2023.
Jose Luis Madera, Manager of IBH Services, was awarded the Phoenix Journal’s 2023 Health Care Heroes Award. This award highlights his exceptional contributions to our behavioral health facilities.

Culture

For the fourth consecutive year, Valleywise Health in 2022 was named an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization.
Valleywise Health was the first hospital in Maricopa County to participate in HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) and is one of only three hospitals in Arizona to receive a perfect score of 100. HEI has given the health system a perfect score the last three-years because of their commitment to providing discrimination protections and high-quality care to LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has declared May 2022 “Valleywise Health Appreciation Month” with a proclamation honoring medical professionals and employees of Valleywise Health and District Medical Group during May celebrations of Nurses Month and Hospital Week. “Valleywise Health has a proud 145-year history of serving the entire Phoenix community. It has been on the forefront of every public health battle from tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and Ebola to COVID-19” the proclamation states. Read the full proclamation.
Valleywise Health Medical Center was recognized as one of IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals. This is the first time Valleywise Health Medical Center has been recognized as one of the top-performing major teaching hospitals in the US and is the only teaching hospital in Arizona to be honored. Valleywise Health Medical Center also is the only Arizona hospital to receive an “Everest Award,” which recognizes hospitals that have earned the “100 Top Hospitals” designation and ranked among the top 100 hospitals in the nation for fastest rate-of-improvement during a five-year period.
Valleywise Health was named an Outstanding Public Service Organization for 2023 by the advisory committee of the Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to combatting misinformation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We have diligently provided invaluable resources and established vaccination clinics to serve marginalized communities, particularly Latino and immigrant families across the valley.
Valleywise Health was recognized by AZ Big Media as one of Arizona’s Most Admired Companies of 2023 for excelling in customer opinion, innovation, leadership excellence, social responsibility, and workplace culture.

Leadership

Sherry Stotler, Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer, is one of AZ Business Magazine’s 2022 Most Influential Women.
Dr. Michael White, Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, was named one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s “Most Admired Leaders” of 2022, and 2022 Leader of the Year by the Arizona Capitol Times.
Claire Agnew, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, was named a 2022 CFO of the Year by the Arizona chapter president of Financial Executives International.
Martha Steiner, MSN-L, RN, Vice President of Behavioral Health Nursing was named Nurse of the Year in the 2022 Phoenix Business Journals Health Care Heroes Awards.
Kelly Summers, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer, was named CIO of the Year in the 2022 ORBIE® Awards.
Martin Demos, General Counsel, was honored with a 2022 Corporate Counsel Award by AZ Big Media/Arizona Business Magazine.
Dr. Michael White, Executive Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, received the 2021 Pete Wertheim Leadership Award from the Arizona Public.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has elected Steve Purves, President & CEO, to its Board of Trustees for a three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2023. The Board of Trustees is the highest policymaking body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its directions and finances.
Steve Purves, President & CEO, was named by AZ Business Magazine/AZBigMedia as one of 25 male business leaders to watch in 2023, and one of Phoenix’s top 25 most influential leaders by the Phoenix Business Journal.
Manny Soto-Griego, Director of Health Information Management, was recognized by the Arizona Health Information Management Association (AzHIMA) with the 2023 Distinguished Member Award recipient.
Arizona Capitol Times name Michael Murphy, Director of Communications, as the 2023 Power Player of the year. Naming him an Unsung Hero working for our community behind the scenes for the last 15 years.
Steve Purves, President and CEO, has been selected as a 2023 Leader of the Year in Healthcare by the Arizona Capitol Times. This award recognizes leaders that have contributed to the growth of Arizona — the people who hunker down each day to find ways to improve the quality of life of Arizona’s citizens.