Parkland Medical Center earns elite designation as Pathway to Excellence® with Distinction hospital

Parkland is the first hospital in New Hampshire, and the first hospital within HCA Healthcare, to earn the prestigious designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
 
DERRY, NH (August 24, 2026) – Parkland Medical Center, part of HCA Healthcare, has joined an elite group of organizations worldwide through its designation as a Pathway to Excellence® with Distinction hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). It is the first hospital in New Hampshire, and one of only 310 organizations worldwide, to earn the designation.
 
The designation highlights Parkland Medical Center’s dedication to creating a supportive and empowering workplace for nurses, significantly enhancing recruitment and retention of top-quality healthcare teams by promoting high job satisfaction and engagement.
 
“Being designated a Pathway to Excellence® with Distinction hospital is truly an honor and a testament to our nursing culture of excellence,” said Eileen Keefe, RN, chief nursing officer for Parkland Medical Center. “Parkland Medical Center is the first hospital in New Hampshire, and the first within HCA Healthcare to receive this designation. I am proud of and grateful for our dedicated nurses, who each day foster a collaborative culture and provide exceptional care and outcomes for our patients.”
 
To earn Pathway to Excellence® designation, a hospital undergoes a thorough review process to demonstrate the integration of its practices, policies and culture. Nurses then validate whether their organization meets the Pathway standards through a confidential survey.
 
Nurses at Pathway organizations are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety, and better patient outcomes. Moreover, the Pathway framework is instrumental in elevating patient care and safety standards, ensuring that patients receive the highest quality of care, which further translates to improvement in organizational outcomes.
 
“This designation validates the unwavering dedication of our nurses and reaffirms our strong commitment to nursing excellence,” said Whitney Fenyak, CEO of Parkland Medical Center. “Each day, I’m honored to see our nurses engaged and fostering a positive nursing environment that ultimately leads to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to our patients.”
 
For more information on the Pathway to Excellence recognition program, visit ANCC’s website.
 
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About Parkland Medical Center
Parkland Medical Center is an 86-bed regional acute-care hospital with a Level III Trauma Center in Derry, NH. It is owned by HCA Healthcare, which operates four hospitals, three freestanding emergency rooms, an ambulatory surgery center, urgent care center, and 46 physician practices in New Hampshire, where it employs 2,600 colleagues and 554 physicians, provides $15.8 million in uncompensated care, and pays $43.8 million in taxes annually. HCA Healthcare’s New Hampshire hospitals also include Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, and freestanding emergency rooms in Dover, Nashua, Plaistow and Seabrook.
 
 
Photo Caption: Parkland Medical Center is the first hospital in New Hampshire, and one of only 310 organizations worldwide to earn the Pathway to Excellence® with Distinction designation.