Deborah Deal, chief nursing executive for Parkridge Health System, has won the 2020 Nurse Leader of Distinction Award from the Tennessee Hospital Association. The honor recognizes Ms. Deal’s work to optimize patient experience, enhance nurse retention and enhance the quality of services provided across Parkridge Health while nurturing the careers of countless nurses.
“I am honored and humbled to receive the Nurse Leader of Distinction Award,” Ms. Deal said. “It takes a team of physicians, nurses and providers to reach the high levels of quality, safety and outcomes Parkridge Health has achieved, and I accept this award on behalf of my colleagues who have worked so hard to help Parkridge Health reach such high levels of excellence.”
Under Ms. Deal’s leadership, Parkridge Health has enhanced its quality and patient satisfaction scores. 2019 Press Ganey ratings reveal a snapshot of the system’s culture, with Parkridge Medical Center earning a spot in the top 40 among all HCA Healthcare facilities in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and System scores – a benchmark of patient experience.
Cultivating a safety-first atmosphere is a critical component of patient satisfaction and, in this area, Ms. Deal and her quality team have excelled, said offiicals. Just this year, Parkridge Medical Center and Parkridge East Hospital earned “A” safety grades from The Leapfrog Group for both Fall and Spring reports – the only hospitals in Chattanooga to achieve such an accomplishment.
Within HCA Healthcare – parent company of Parkridge Health and an organization comprised of 184 hospitals – Parkridge Medical Center and Parkridge East both ranked in the top 10 for quality metrics.
“Deborah’s work to continuously elevate the level of nursing across Parkridge Health is a testament to her dedication to her profession,” said Tom Ozburn, president and CEO of Parkridge Health. “She tirelessly advocates for her nursing colleagues and ensures they always have the opportunity to develop their careers. She epitomizes what I look for in a nursing leader and is completely deserving of this award.”
Even as patient and physician satisfaction scores soar, retention rates maintain high levels, and patient outcomes continually improve, Ms. Deal looks to expand her knowledge base. Having earned a Master’s in Health Services Administration degree, Ms. Deal is currently working toward her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from UTC.