The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) has been recognized for the second consecutive year as a top performer in Vizient's Bernard A. Birnbaum Quality and Accountability Awards for pediatric hospitals. UTMB Health is the only academic medical center in Texas to earn the distinction.
“Receiving this recognition for a second consecutive year is a source of pride for our entire health system,” said Gulshan Sharma, MD, MPH, FCCP, senior vice president and chief medical and clinical innovation officer at UTMB Health. “It reflects the dedication of UTMB team members who work every day to deliver exceptional inpatient care for children and support their families.”
The Vizient Quality and Accountability Study helps participating hospitals and health systems evaluate their performance against their peers and identify structures and processes associated with high performance in quality and safety across a broad spectrum of patient care activity. The recognition period is for work spanning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.
This year, 1,346 participating hospitals were segmented into seven cohorts for the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study. The study measures performance in six domains of patient care: safety, mortality, effectiveness, efficiency, patient-centeredness, and variation in care. The study incorporates measures from the Vizient Clinical Data Base and includes performance data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network.
“Recognition like this is meaningful because it reflects the work happening across our pediatric programs every day,” said Sanjeev Tuli, MD, MEd, MBA, FAAP, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UTMB Health. “Caring for children takes a tremendous team effort, and we’re proud to see that commitment recognized on a national level.”
In addition to the top performer, five-star rating for pediatric hospital services, UTMB Health was also recognized with four-star ratings for its ambulatory and inpatient services in this year’s study.
The UTMB Best Care initiative supports systemwide efforts to provide consistent, high-quality care to every patient, every time. The recognition reflects ongoing work across the health system to strengthen quality and improve safety and outcomes for children.
Vizient, a member-driven healthcare performance improvement company, presented the awards Sept. 23 during the 2026 Vizient Connections Summit in Las Vegas.