Baptist Memorial Health Care was named among the top health care networks in the nation in a recent survey published by Modern Healthcare magazine and conducted by Verispan.

Baptist placed 44th nationally in Verispan’s list of the Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks–a nationwide study of nearly 600 integrated health care organizations, which includes some of the most prestigious health care systems in the country. Baptist was the highest-ranking Memphis-based system on the list.

“We are delighted with this recognition,” said Stephen Reynolds, president and CEO of Baptist Memorial Health Care. “It acknowledges our excellent staff and demonstrates how they and the physicians we affiliate with are working together to make a difference in health care for our community.”

For the past 10 years, Chicago-based Verispan, a research firm formerly known as SMG Marketing Group, has recognized health care systems, which integrate hospitals, medical care practices and other health care services under one umbrella.

This is the ninth time in 10 years Baptist has been included in the top 100 list, which ranks health care systems on the basis of their financial and clinical performance level and degree of integration. The rating system is based on eight critical success factors: integration, integrated technology, services and access, physicians, financial stability, hospital utilization, outpatient utilization and contract capabilities.

One of the largest not-for-profit health care systems in the United States, Baptist offers a full continuum of care to communities throughout the Mid-South. The Baptist system, which consistently ranks among the top integrated health care networks in the nation, comprises 14 hospitals; more than 2,900 affiliated physicians; home, hospice and psychiatric care throughout West Tennessee and North Mississippi; minor medical centers and clinics; a network of surgery, rehabilitation and other outpatient centers; and an education system highlighted by the Baptist College of Health Sciences. Baptist has more than 2,400 licensed beds systemwide, employs more than 12,000 people and has approximately 86,000 admissions annually. For more information about Baptist, please visit www.baptistonline.org or call 800-4-BAPTIST.