St. Luke's University Health Network has been named a recipient of the 2025 Richard L. Doyle Award for Innovation and Leadership in Healthcare by MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network and the industry’s source of truth for trusted clinical guidance.
The Doyle Award recognizes exceptional use of evidence-based guidance and transformative care models that advance quality, improve outcomes, and reduce unnecessary costs.
St. Luke's was honored for its High Utilizer Care Program (HUCP), an innovative, systemwide initiative developed to improve care coordination for patients who frequently use emergency and inpatient services without improved outcomes. The program integrates individualized care plans into the electronic health record and applies MCG Chronic Care guidelines (via the MCG Coordinate solution) to align multidisciplinary teams across emergency, inpatient, outpatient, behavioral health and community settings—resulting in measurable improvements in care and cost.
Since implementation, patients enrolled in the HUCP for at least six months have experienced a 39% decrease in emergency department visits, a 50% reduction in inpatient admissions, a nearly 48% reduction in high-end inpatient radiology studies, and a 42% drop in hospital charges, while outpatient engagement increased, confirming success in redirecting care to appropriate settings. This has resulted in over $400 million in cost savings over the past three years.
“Our High Utilizer Care Program reflects our commitment to compassionate, coordinated, and value-driven care,” said Rebecca Miller, Network Director of Outpatient Care Management at St. Luke’s. “Receiving the Doyle Award underscores the dedication of teams across our Network who work every day to improve continuity, address social and clinical needs, and achieve outcomes that matter to patients and communities.”
“We congratulate St. Luke’s University Health Network for their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of patients through thoughtful, coordinated care,” said Jon Shreve, President and CEO of MCG Health. “Their High Utilizer Care Program exemplifies how patient-centered innovation - grounded in evidence-based guidance - can meaningfully enhance outcomes and ensure patients receive the right care at the right time. This work is a powerful example of what’s possible when compassion and clinical excellence come together.”
Doyle Award recipients are selected annually by an independent panel of healthcare experts who are not affiliated with MCG. Members of the SLUHN team will be recognized at the MCG Client Forum, June 1–3, 2026, in Aventura, Florida, where they will share insights from the award-winning initiative.
