Press Ganey Honors Healthcare Leaders for Human Experience Innovations

Event summary

  • Press Ganey awarded five individuals and three healthcare organizations for leadership in patient, employee, and member experience at its HX26 conference in Orlando, FL.
  • Warner L. Thomas of Sutter Health won CEO of the Year for transforming care access and organizational culture in Northern California.
  • Jeffrey A. Flaks of Hartford HealthCare received the inaugural Innovator of the Year Award for advancing virtual care and AI integration.
  • Prisma Health was named Health System of the Year for its Clinical Operating System, improving patient experience, safety, and financial performance.

The big picture

Press Ganey’s awards highlight a growing emphasis on human experience as a competitive differentiator in healthcare. The recognition of leaders like Warner Thomas and Jeffrey Flaks underscores the industry’s shift toward data-driven, patient-centric models. With healthcare systems facing workforce shortages and rising costs, these innovations in experience measurement and operational efficiency could set new benchmarks for the sector.

What we're watching

Innovation Adoption
How Hartford HealthCare’s AI and virtual care initiatives will scale across other health systems.
Operational Integration
Whether Prisma Health’s Clinical Operating System can be replicated in smaller health systems.
Leadership Impact
The pace at which Sutter Health’s culture-driven approach improves long-term patient outcomes.