AdventHealth Avista achieves Pathway to Excellence redesignation

AdventHealth Avista has once again achieved the prestigious Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to providing top-quality, patient and family-centered care to the community we serve.

What Does This Mean for Our Patients and Communities?

Being a Pathway to Excellence designated facility means that our community can trust AdventHealth Avista to deliver exceptional care. This designation validates that our hospital fosters a healthy workplace environment, encouraging collaboration among the health care team with a strong focus on continual improvement and team member wellbeing.

The Redesignation Process

The journey to redesignation began with the compilation of three years' worth of process descriptions, examples, and first-hand narratives demonstrating how AdventHealth Avista met the Pathway standards. This comprehensive 356-page document, consisting of 96 individual elements of performance, was submitted in November 2024. After the document was appraised and approved by the Pathway appraisal team, we moved into the nurse survey phase. Every nurse within the AdventHealth Avista organization was invited to take a 28-question survey to validate their lived-out experience and confirm our worthiness of the Pathway to Excellence designation. On April 22, 2025, we received the call from the Pathway commissioners, announcing that we had achieved our second Pathway to Excellence designation!

The Pathway to Excellence designation lasts for four years.

A Message from CNO, Nina Huffer

"I want to express my deepest appreciation and heartfelt congratulations to our Avista team. Our second Pathway to Excellence designation would not have been possible without your dedication, collaboration, and relentless pursuit of excellence. What we have accomplished is no small feat, and it’s a reflection of your collective talents and commitment to our shared mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. I am incredibly proud of this achievement and you all should be as well. I am blessed and grateful to work alongside such a compassionate team. Thank you for going above and beyond in caring for our patients and driving the professional voice of nursing. A special thank you to Michael Darnell, our Nursing Excellence Program Director, for his passion and persistence in getting us here. Way to go team."