AdventHealth Avista recognized as a Top Teaching Hospital in Colorado for patient safety and quality care

For patients and families, feeling safe, heard, and well cared for is foundational to healing. That commitment to whole-person care is why AdventHealth Avista has been recognized as one of Colorado’s Top Teaching Hospitals by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing patient safety and health care quality.

AdventHealth Avista is one of only two hospitals in Colorado to receive this distinction, placing it among a small group of teaching hospitals nationwide recognized for creating environments where patients can heal with confidence.

Each year, The Leapfrog Group evaluates hospitals across the country using rigorous, publicly reported safety and quality measures. In 2025, just 151 hospitals nationwide earned Top Hospital status across four categories: children’s, general, rural, and teaching hospitals.

To qualify, hospitals must first earn an “A” grade in Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grades, a benchmark that reflects strong performance in preventing medical errors, infections, and injuries. AdventHealth Avista has earned 14 consecutive “A” grades, demonstrating a sustained commitment to safety and trust over time.

A culture grounded in safety, learning and trust

Leaders at AdventHealth Avista say the recognition reflects a culture built on listening, collaboration, and continuous learning, all in service of the people they care for.

“We work hard to create an environment where every team member feels empowered to speak up,” said Nina Huffer, Chief Nursing Officer at AdventHealth Avista. “When we review opportunities for improvement, the goal is never blame. It’s learning together so we can provide even safer, more compassionate care for our patients.”

That mindset is especially meaningful in a teaching hospital, where learning is woven into everyday care.

“When teaching and learning happen side by side, outcomes improve,” Huffer added. “Every experience becomes an opportunity to do better for the next patient.”

Teaching that strengthens patient care

As a teaching hospital, AdventHealth Avista trains medical residents, students, and clinical learners in an environment where education directly supports patient care.

“A strong teaching culture sharpens how we care for patients,” said Dr. Lief Sorensen, Chief Medical Officer at AdventHealth Avista. “It improves communication within the care team and with patients themselves, helping ensure people feel informed, supported, and included in decisions about their care.”

Learners also help teams stay current and reflective.

“When students ask questions, it challenges us to stay engaged and up to date,” Sorensen said. “That ongoing dialogue strengthens best practices and helps ensure the care we provide is thoughtful, current, and centered on what matters most to patients.”

Collaboration that supports better outcomes

Team-based care is another cornerstone of AdventHealth Avista’s approach.

“When nurses, physicians, pharmacists, therapists, and case managers work together, risks are identified earlier and decisions are stronger,” Huffer said. “Shared accountability leads to safer care, and collaboration allows us to think creatively about how to best support each person we serve.”

A recognition shared by the whole team

This recognition from The Leapfrog Group belongs to the caregivers, educators, and support team members who show up each day committed to safe, high-quality, whole-person care.

It affirms AdventHealth Avista’s role as a trusted place for healing, learning, and growth and reflects its faith-based mission to extend the healing ministry of Christ by caring for the body, mind, and spirit of every person it serves, today and into the future.