Baptist Health announced on April 15 that it has received the 2026 Innovators Award from Modern Healthcare magazine for its Baptist Center for Professional Excellence, a facility dedicated to advancing the skills of its workforce. The award recognizes organizations and leaders who drive transformation in health care through innovation that improves care and achieves measurable results.
The recognition highlights Baptist Health’s focus on preparing health care professionals to meet evolving community needs. According to Modern Healthcare, “successful innovation in health care requires great teams and organizations that can move a good idea from a whiteboard, through development, testing and marketing, to introduction and success.”
The Baptist Center for Professional Excellence opened in July 2025 as a 42,066 square-foot learning environment centralizing all of Baptist Health’s training programs. The facility is divided into classroom-based clinical and non-clinical training areas as well as a simulation lab spanning 13,000 square feet—five times larger than the previous lab. The simulation space includes operating suites, emergency department rooms, inpatient units, primary care offices, and even a full-size functional ambulance.
Matthew A. Zuino, MSIS, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health said: “Because great care is driven by great people, we’ve made continuous learning a core part of who we are. Education was a passion of my predecessor, Michael A. Mayo…who championed the importance of investing in the Baptist Center for Professional Excellence…We are honored to receive the Innovators Award for our new center…that embodies our commitment to innovation…and delivering high-quality care that meets the evolving needs of the communities we serve.”
The center hosts an average of 100 learners daily including those enrolled in state-licensed Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) programs which reported high certification exam pass rates and placement within acute hospital settings during fiscal year 2025. Evaluations indicate over 95% engagement among trainees with increased confidence levels.
Daniel T. Coulter, DHA, FACHE vice president of learning and development at Baptist Health said: “The positive feedback we’ve received since the center’s opening has bolstered our belief that practicing in lifelike clinical environments better equips care teams to handle the challenges they face each day…By reinforcing key skills through practice it supports greater consistency in care and improved patient outcomes.”