Awards & Recognitions

Inspired by the community- UM Health-Sparrow’s team members, physicians and volunteers all work together toward our bold vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. We hold our organization to the highest standards in health care. Below are just a few examples of the wide range of the accreditations, designations and awards earned by UM Health-Sparrow.

UM Health-Sparrow is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), meaning we comply with the highest national standards for safety and quality of care. UM Health-Sparrow is TJC Accredited in Hospital, Home Care, Laboratory, holds Advanced Certification as Michigan's first Comprehensive Stroke Center and is Certified in Joint Replacement for Hip and Knee.

Leapfrog Grade A - Spring 2022

Prepared by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an “A” through “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care. 

Developed under the guidance of a national panel of experts, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses more than 30 performance measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to nearly 3,000 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

To see UM Health-Sparrow’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetygrade.org.

HIMSS Stage 7 Status 

UM Health-Sparrow is the largest inpatient hospital in Michigan to be granted Stage 7 status by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) for our advanced Electronic Medical Records (EMR) adoption and use. And we’re excited to say that our status has been revalidated by HIMSS, confirming UM Health-Sparrow’s commitment to the highest levels of Patient safety and quality care. We are also proud to announce that Clinton and Ionia were also recognized as having achieved Stage 7, along with all 62 of UM Health-Sparrow-owned ambulatory practices that are live on iUM Health-Sparrow EMR. Stage 7 status is held by only about 4 percent of U.S. hospitals and about 10 percent of all ambulatory practices nationwide. Certification as Stage 7 requires a fully electronic medical record, use of data warehousing, and other criteria of advanced and pervasive use, along with demonstration of improved quality, safety and value of health care resulting from best use of health information technology.

The iUM Health-Sparrow EMR enables Patient-centered care by improved and ubiquitously available Patient documentation, advanced clinical decision support, abundant safety features, a secure, confidential Patient medical record and Patient portal, MySparrow, improved care coordination, and reduced errors.

Blue Distinction Center+

UM Health-Sparrow Lansing is a Blue Distinction Center+ by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) in Cardiac Care, Knee & Hip Replacement and Spine Surgery. Blue Distinction Centers+ have a proven track-record for delivering better results—such as fewer complications and readmissions—than facilities without these recognitions. Blue Distinction Center+ also meet cost measures that address consumers' need for affordable health care.

MBSAQIP Accredited Bariatric Surgery Center

UM Health-Sparrow delivers consistently high quality surgical outcomes as a MBSAQIP Accredited - Bariatric Surgery Center, bestowed by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery,

Commendation by the Commission of Cancer

The UM Health-Sparrow Cancer Center is fully accredited by the Commendation by the Commission on Cancer (CoC). The CoC Accreditation program encourages hospitals, treatment centers, and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs. These programs focus on prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evaluation, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, and surveillance for recurrent disease, support services, and end-of-life care. Only 14 percent of all accredited Cancer Centers achieve this status.

Quality Oncology Practice Initiative Certification Program - ASCO

UM Health-Sparrow Medical Oncology was one of the first oncology practices in the nation to be recognized by the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) Certification Program, an affiliate of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in 2010. In 2013, the center earned a new three-year certification. Along with Blue Cross and the University of Michigan, the UM Health-Sparrow Cancer Center works collaboratively to improve care for breast cancer patients and is one of a number of select Cancer Centers to participate in the Michigan Breast Oncology Quality Initiative. This effort leads the way in defining the best evidence-based treatments for breast cancer and making sure that all our patients receive these treatments.

National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC)

UM Health-Sparrow's Breast Cancer Clinic is accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). This follows a rigorous evaluation of the clinic’s performance in nearly 30 indicators of quality Patient care.

Patient-Centered Medical Home Practice by Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Michigan

Twenty-one UM Health-Sparrow-owned primary care practices have been designated as a Patient-Centered Medical Home practice by Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Michigan for the 2015 program year. PCMH designated practices have strong performance on quality, use and efficiency measures, and the physicians are recognized for using a team approach focusing on prevention and the partnership between a Patient and their doctor.

Level 1 Trauma Center

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has verified UM Health-Sparrow Lansing as a Level I Trauma Center, the only Level I Trauma Center in the region. The ACS originally named UM Health-Sparrow’s Trauma Center a “Verified” facility in 1998.

Noteworthy distinctions

• American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Award for exemplary outcomes for surgical Patient care
• Certified as mid-Michigan region’s only Baby-Friendly® Hospital
• Michigan Quality Council’s 2012 Quality Leadership Award - the highest honor for organizational performance excellence in Michigan. UM Health-Sparrow Lansing is only the eighth hospital to earn this recognition. The MQC’s Leadership award program is modeled after the national Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.
• UM Health-Sparrow’s Stroke Clinical Practice Team has been recognized by the American Stroke Association as a recipient of the “Get With The Guidelines” Gold Elite Plus award for our excellent care in 2020 and our Stroke Center is recognized by The Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
• Achieved elite national recognition for its Electronic Medical Record adoption by The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)
• Gold Performance Achievement Award for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction patients through implementation of National Cardiovascular Data Registry ACTION Registry®-Get With The Guidelines
• Governor’s Awards of Excellence for improving quality, Patient safety
• Honored for improvements in care quality and efficiency by The Advisory Board Company
• UM Health-Sparrow Nurse first recipient of Excellence in Nursing Award from Modern Healthcare
• UM Health-Sparrow Chief Nursing Officer receives prestigious national honor from American Association of Colleges of Nursing
• American Hospital Association's (AHA) Hospital Award of Volunteer Excellence (UM Health-Sparrow Volunteer Services)
• Michigan Health & Hospital Association’s Ludwig Community Benefit Award for the UM Health-Sparrow FIT Kids program
• Michigan Quality Council's (MQC) 2009 Michigan Quality Leadership Awards (UM Health-Sparrow Regional Medical Supply)
• Named among the Best Hospitals in Southeastern Michigan and designated "high-performing" in nine specialty areas, according to the U.S. News & World Report of Best Hospitals for 2012-2013. High-Performing Specialties: Cancer, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Gynecology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Pulmonology and Urology.
• UM Health-Sparrow Emergency Department honored by the Studer Group, a distinguished healthcare consulting firm, as national Health Care Organization of the Month for October 2011 for achievement, improvement and overall performance.
• Among leading health systems nationwide who have joined the Accountable Care Organization Readiness Collaborative to improve community health. UM Health-Sparrow will help implement reforms that promise high-quality, patient centered care.
• Ranked first for technology innovations in the healthcare industry nationwide and 16th among all U.S. companies in the 2012 InformationWeek 500 analysis.
• Named to U.S. News and World Report Most Connected roster
• UM Health-Sparrow named among top health systems in country in prestigious study by Thompson-Reuters