NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is the First Health Care Organization Worldwide to Earn the Pathway to Excellence with Distinction Designation
The new designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center recognizes the highest achievements in providing a positive practice environment and a culture of excellence
Jul 15, 2025
New York, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan announced today that it is the first health care organization worldwide to receive the Pathway to Excellence with Distinction designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This global recognition underscores the hospital’s commitment to cultivating a positive practice environment that empowers nurses and enhances patient outcomes. With this announcement, Metropolitan Hospital becomes one of just over 200 Pathway to Excellence health care organizations worldwide—an acknowledgment of its leadership in creating a culture of shared decision-making, safety, well-being, and professional development. The new Pathway to Excellence with Distinction designation recognizes the highest performing Pathway organizations around the world and is based on validation from the nursing workforce.
The Pathway to Excellence designation is a rigorous, evidence-based evaluation spanning six standards: leadership, shared decision-making, safety, quality, well-being, and professional development. Metropolitan Hospital’s submission included 407 pages of documentation, 27 narratives, and over 100 elements of performance detailing nurse-led initiatives focused on quality of care, patient and nursing safety, and interprofessional relationships that reflect a deep investment in professional nursing practice. Results of the staff-wide Pathway survey confirmed a strong sense of belonging, protection from workplace harm, access to educational opportunities, and a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued.
This designation demonstrates that Metropolitan Hospital maintains the clinical infrastructure, nursing leadership, and interdisciplinary coordination necessary to meet the highest standards of patient care. With nurses actively involved in clinical decision-making, care design, and quality initiatives, the hospital ensures that evidence-based practices are embedded across units and sustained over time. These practices have resulted in improved patient outcomes, shorter hospital stays, higher patient satisfaction, and stronger continuity across the care journey.
The Pathway framework supports a culture where clinical excellence is not only expected—but sustained—through interdisciplinary collaboration, professional development, and an unwavering focus on quality improvement. For patients, that translates to a facility where every decision is rooted in evidence, compassion, and a deep understanding of the communities we serve.
“The Pathway to Excellence designation validates what Metropolitan patients experience every day: coordinated, high-quality care delivered by nurses who lead with skill and uphold our values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence. To be recognized on the global stage alongside an elite group of institutions is not only a reflection of our commitment to meet the evolving needs of our community—it also reflects what our team has long known: that Metropolitan nurses are leaders not only in care, but in culture,” said Julian S. John, Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.
“We are incredibly proud of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan for receiving the Pathway to Excellence Designation with Distinction — a reflection of our unwavering commitment to fostering a culture of nursing excellence across our health care system. This recognition speaks volumes and stands as a testament to the voices of our nurses, who are at the heart of our mission. We applaud and support Metropolitan for setting a new standard in elevating nursing practice,” said Natalia Cineas, DNP, MSM-N, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, FADLN, Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, NYC Health + Hospitals.
“Today’s shared victory is one that validates the strength of our practice environment, the voice of our staff, and our leadership in nursing innovation. Pathway to Excellence with Distinction recognizes the infrastructure we’ve built to support clinical excellence, from how we staff our units and train our teams to how we respond to safety events and drive improvement. This honor belongs to every nurse at Metropolitan, all of whom are engaged, informed, and contribute to Metropolitan’s culture of excellence each day,” said Christopher G. Wilson, MSN, RN, CNML, CENP, NEA-BC, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.
“Metropolitan’s Pathway to Excellence submission captured hundreds of pages of evidence, but the true impact is felt at the bedside. Every survey response, every metric, and every story we told in this process reflected a nursing culture built on accountability, equity, and collaboration. This Pathway with Distinction designation reflects the quality of care delivered at Metropolitan and demonstrates that nurses are central to how we deliver it,” said Wesley J. Stephens, MSN, RN, CCRN, NE-BC, Associate Director of Nursing, Nursing Excellence & Research, NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Domonique Chaplin, chaplind@nychhc.org, 212-423-7782.
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan is a 338-bed facility serving East Harlem and surrounding communities. Known historically as the primary health care provider in El Barrio, Metropolitan delivers high-quality, compassionate care to over 350,000 clinic patients and more than 50,000 emergency room visitors annually. The hospital is a designated Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Center of Excellence and a recognized “Leader in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign. Metropolitan has earned numerous honors, including the AORN, Beacon, and Lantern awards, a Leapfrog “A” Grade for patient safety, and national recognition in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals list. With a legacy spanning 150 years, Metropolitan maintains the nation’s oldest municipal hospital-medical school affiliation through its longstanding partnership with New York Medical College. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/metropolitan.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
