Education in high-performing hospitals: using the Baldrige framework to demonstrate positive outcomes.

Hospital education departments can better align with the strategic direction of the organization, effectively prioritize work processes, and focus on what matters most to the organization when the organization adopts an assessment process known as the Baldrige Health Care Criteria for Performance Excellence. This article describes the Baldrige assessment process, a framework of seven criteria based on a set of core values and concepts that encourage organizations to use an integrated systematic approach to improve organizational performance practices and achieve better outcomes. Examples of high-performing health care organizations that have earned a national Baldrige Award are cited, with examples of how the education departments of these high-performing organizations realigned their education plans to become more proactive and outcome-focused.