Article

Awards of Distinction Showcase Best of HCA Healthcare

Man in suit and tie. Headshot of Milton Johnson.

The HCA Healthcare Awards of Distinction — The Frist Humanitarian Award, HCA Healthcare Innovators Award and HCA Healthcare Excellence in Nursing Award — recognize exceptional efforts by individuals in our organization and are our company’s highest honors. Year after year, the recipients inspire us with their passion and spark a sense of pride because they embody the values and culture that make HCA Healthcare special.

At our annual Awards of Distinction ceremony in Nashville, we honor our recipients’ selflessness in service to others. We applaud their dedication to caring for our patients and we celebrate their perseverance in finding better ways to work as we serve those patients and our communities. These qualities are the core of HCA Healthcare and drive our success in every way.

It’s no coincidence that these are the very same qualities that Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr., one of our founders, possesses. For decades, he has been the company’s touchstone and epitomizes the combination of caring and business foresight that has allowed HCA Healthcare to be an industry leader. While we continually look toward the future, our strong foundation in the values he established for our organization in 1968 keeps us grounded. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary this year, the Awards of Distinction ceremony gave us a wonderful platform to say thank you to Dr. Frist, Jr. for all that he means to the company.

A short documentary highlighting key moments in Dr. Frist, Jr.’s leadership at HCA Healthcare was shown at the event as a surprise for our guests and Dr. Frist. It was my great privilege to be able to present that tribute to honor a man whom I believe is the heart and soul of our company, and who is far too modest about the scope of his many achievements. If you weren’t able to join us in Nashville or on the livestream of the event, I encourage you to watch the video.

Dr. Frist, Jr. has said many times that he considers the Awards of Distinction ceremony the most important date on HCA Healthcare’s calendar. I know that each finalist and recipient who was recognized this year lives out our shared mission: Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. I am confident that you will be moved when you read their stories in this issue. They are HCA Healthcare. You are HCA Healthcare. Dr. Frist Jr. created a huge legacy to live up to, yet our people do so day after day.

Thank you for all that you do to improve the lives of our patients and the communities we serve.

Best regards,

Milton Johnson, Chairman & CEO

View the Awards of Distinction videos:

Frist Humanitarian Awards

HCA Healthcare Excellence in Nursing Awards

HCA Healthcare Innovators Awards

Tribute to Dr. Thomas Frist, Jr.

About HCA Healthcare

HCA Healthcare, one of the nation's leading providers of healthcare services, is comprised of 183 hospitals and more than 2,300 sites of care, in 20 states and the United Kingdom. Our more than 283,000 colleagues are connected by a single purpose — to give patients healthier tomorrows.

As an enterprise, we recognize the significant responsibility we have as a leading healthcare provider within each of the communities we serve, as well as the opportunity we have to improve the lives of the patients for whom we are entrusted to care. Through the compassion, knowledge and skill of our caregivers, and our ability to leverage our scale and innovative capabilities, HCA Healthcare is in a unique position to play a leading role in the transformation of care.

Recent articles