Baptist Hospital East is one of 100 companies and organizations named to Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2012.

The recognition program, now in its fifth year, honors workplaces in healthcare that enable employees to perform at their optimum level to provide patients and customers with the best possible care, products and services. The program is co-sponsored by the Studer Group – a nationally recognized organization that promotes best practices within healthcare.

Baptist East has been named to the Best Places to Work in Kentucky list for the last eight years – since that honor was created by the Kentucky Chamber and the Kentucky Society for Human Resources Management. This is the first year for Baptist East to have applied for and to be named to the Best Places to Work in Healthcare list.

“It is truly an honor for us to be included among this distinguished group of healthcare companies, said Steve Rudolf, vice president at Baptist East. “We believe that great patient care starts by ensuring that our workforce is fully engaged; and that they have the right environment, resources and support needed to provide the level of care our patients deserve and expect. To be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in both Kentucky and now on a national level helps to confirm that we are on the right track.”

An extensive survey process was used to winnow the initial 340 participants to the 100 selected, according to Modern Healthcare Editor Dave Burda.

Modern Healthcare will reveal the ranked order of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2012 at a banquet in Nashville on Oct. 9 and in a special supplement published on Oct. 15.

Pikeville Medical Center and Trilogy Health Services (of Louisville) also made the list.

Modern Healthcare is a Nashville-based weekly magazine which covers healthcare business and policy.