Awards & Achievements
As a premier rural health care facility, Lavaca Medical Center has been recognized for clinical excellence, patient satisfaction, technological innovations, medical advancements and community involvement. Following are some of our significant awards and achievements:
2020 & 2021: Top Hospitals 5 Star Rating Recognition - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS provides an overall rating (between one and five stars) based on how well a hospital performs on an identified set of quality measures compared to other hospitals in the United States. The more stars, the better a hospital performed on the available quality measures - like treating heart attacks, pneumonia, readmission rates, and safety of care.
Star ratings are used to give the public information and to help individuals to compare hospitals locally and nationwide. As stated by CMS, "The overarching goal of the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (Overall Star Rating) is to improve the usability and interpretability of information posted on Care Compare, a website designed for consumers to use along with their healthcare provider to make decisions on where to receive care. The Overall Star Rating provides consumers with a simple overall rating generated by combining multiple dimensions of quality into a single summary score."
2018: Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Gold Award
Recipient of the Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Gold Award from TMF Health Quality Institute, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Texas. The Texas Quality Improvement Award Program recognizes Texas hospitals that have undertaken quality initiatives to improve outcomes in patient care and improve their performance on specific national quality measures. The award is given every 2 years.
2014: Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Silver Award
Recipient of the Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Silver Award from TMF Health Quality Institute, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Texas. The Texas Quality Improvement Award Program recognizes Texas hospitals that have undertaken quality initiatives to improve outcomes in patient care and improve their performance on specific national quality measures. The award is given every 2 years.
2013: Commitment to Quality & Excellence Award
Recipient of the 2013 Commitment to Quality & Excellence Award from TMF Health Quality Institute, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Texas. The Commitment to Quality & Excellence Award recognizes critical access hospitals in Texas that are publicly reporting performance data to promote transparency and improve health care in their communities.
2013: James Vanek, recipient of the Gordon Russell Award of Merit
Administrator, James Vanek, was the 2013 recipient of the Gordon Russell Award of Merit. This award is given by the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals to honor a rural hospital administrator who embodies the spirit of superior service to the local community. The award exists to recognize outstanding achievement by rural and community hospital administrators for their leadership and dedication to the profession.
2013: Re-designation of Lavaca Medical Center as a Basic Level IV Trauma Facility
Re-designation of Lavaca Medical Center as a Basic Level IV Trauma Facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services, valid for a 3 year period. To earn this designation, a facility must have the necessary equipment and resources for trauma cases. LMC received commendations for ongoing commitment to ensure that quality care is available for trauma patients in this area. Facility staff was also recognized for the continued leadership role they assume in the development of the state trauma system.
2012: Outstanding Rural Health Program Award
Lavaca Health & Wellness Center was recipient of the Outstanding Program Award by the Texas Rural Health Association. The Outstanding Rural Health Program Award recognizes a community, regional, or statewide program involving one or more health professionals or entities that promotes or facilitates the development of rural health delivery systems. In this case, the two entities involved are Lavaca Medical Center and the Lavaca Health & Wellness Center, and the employed health professionals. Factors considered for the award include coordination of services with other health care agencies to avoid service duplication, networking and collaboration with other health care entities to achieve common goals, innovation in development and implementation, and lasting impact of program on populations and areas served.
2012: Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Bronze Award
Recipient of the Texas Hospital Quality Improvement Bronze Award from TMF Health Quality Institute. This award acknowledges hospitals for improving care related to acute myocardial infarction, or AMI (Heart Attack), heart failure, pneumonia, and surgical care. These clinical areas have been designated as national health care priorities.
2011 - 2015: Certificate of Accreditation awarded by DEAP
Certificate of Accreditation awarded by DEAP (Diabetes Education Accreditation Program) to Lavaca Medical Center for meeting all applicable standards and requirements of the Association.
2011: James Vanek, recipient of the THA Pioneer Award
Administrator, James Vanek, was the 2011 recipient of the Texas Hospital Association Pioneer Award. This award recognizes excellence and innovation in rural hospital administration. Vanek was selected for the honor by the constituency section's governing council based on his work guiding and leading Lavaca Medical Center, the Lavaca Family Health Clinic, and the LMC Health and Wellness Center. During tenure as Administrator and CEO, Vanek has expanded the hospital's services, launched an award-winning wellness program and pioneered the use of information technology to improve care and streamline business processes.
2009: Rural IT Award of Excellence
Recipient of the 2009 Rural IT Award of Excellence given by TORCH, the Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals. This award recognizes outstanding Health Information Technology (HIT) achievements in Texas rural hospitals.
2009: Texas Rural Health Association Outstanding Program Award
Recipient of the Texas Rural Health Association Outstanding Program Award for improving the health of community members through the Lavaca Health & Wellness Center.
2008 - 2010: Texas Star Award for Patient Safety
Recipient of the Texas Star Award for Patient Safety by
he Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange (THIE) for stellar performance in promoting patient safety and quality health care.
27 Years: The Summit Award
Recipient of The Summit Award given by the Texas Hospital Insurance Exchange (THIE) for 27 years of partnership in protecting the health of Texans.
