A clear path to top performance
For two decades, Vizient experts Julie Cerese and David Levine have studied what separates top-performing health systems from the rest. Our ongoing research across eight national studies reveals a consistent set of behaviors and organizational practices that drive sustainable excellence in quality, safety, equity and patient experience.
What we’ve learned is clear: top performance isn’t about a single initiative. It’s about building the right culture, aligning leadership at every level and using transparent data to drive continuous improvement.
Shared purpose across the organization
Top performers keep patient care at the center of every decision, from the boardroom to the bedside.
Leadership that sets the tone
Visible, accountable leaders foster collaboration, remove barriers and empower teams to own improvement.
Accountability and focus on results
A small set of meaningful, transparent metrics creates clarity, alignment and sustained performance.
Collaboration as a core competency
When physicians, nurses, staff and boards work together with respect and humility, excellence follows.
Data as the catalyst for change
Top performers use Vizient Clinical Data Base (CDB) to benchmark, identify opportunities and accelerate improvement at every level.