Anne Marie Watkins named a CNO to Know
Leader oversees all aspects of patient care throughout the growing academic health system
November 01, 2024
UCI Health Chief Nursing Executive Anne Marie Watkins led the integration of four community hospitals into UCI Health, focusing on standardizing clinical practices and optimizing resource allocation.
Orange, Calif. — Anne Marie Watkins, DNP, chief nursing executive and senior vice president at UCI Health, has been named in the Becker’s Hospital Review CNOs to Know list for her work overseeing every aspect of patient care and nursing practice at the only academic health system in Orange County.
Her write-up reads:
“Watkins led the integration of four community hospitals into UCI Health, focusing on standardizing clinical practices and optimizing resource allocation. Her work also includes securing a grant for an RN externship program in partnership with the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing. Under her leadership, UCI Health achieved its fifth Magnet designation, as well as numerous quality and safety awards, including the Leapfrog Group's ‘Top Hospital’ recognition and high rankings from Vizient, Inc.”
Her leadership is instrumental to the opening of the UCI Health ― Irvine medical campus, starting with the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care and the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building earlier this year. A seven-story acute care hospital will begin serving patients in 2025. Additionally, UCI Health Rehabilitation Hospital, a two-story, 52-bed facility, will also open its doors next year.
Watkins also serves as assistant dean of nursing education at the nursing school. She is a member of the Hospital Quality Institute and the Association of California Nurse Leaders' Health Policy Committee. An accomplished educator, she serves as adjunct faculty at several universities and is a published author in the field of nursing administration.
Quality and safety at UCI Health
UCI Medical Center, part of UCI Health, is nationally recognized for its commitment to providing high-quality, safe patient care.
In 2024, UCI Medical Center was upgraded to a four-star patient experience hospital by Medicare. This achievement underscores the health system’s continual commitment to exceptional healthcare and outstanding patient interactions. The medical center also achieved “A” grades in the fall 2023 and spring 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report.
In addition, the medical center is:
- One of just five facilities in the nation to be recognized as a top performer for demonstrating excellence in outpatient care in the Vizient Inc. 2024 Ambulatory Quality and Accountability Study.
- One of only 115 facilities nationwide to be recognized as a top performer for inpatient care in the 2024 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Study.
- One of a handful of U.S. hospitals to have achieved Magnet Recognition® for nursing excellence five times.
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About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The system comprises its main campus UCI Medical Center, a 459-bed, acute care hospital in Orange, Calif., four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and ambulatory care centers across the region. Recognized as a Top Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to Orange County’s only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. UCI Health serves a region of nearly 4 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
