Nicklaus Children's Wins Inaugural Champion Award
Joint Commission honored the Florida health system for its work as a regional leader in pediatric care.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Children’s Health
Joint Commission presented the inaugural Champion for Children's Care Award to Nicklaus Children's Health System. The award was presented during UNIFY 2026: Convening for Quality, Joint Commission's flagship healthcare leadership conference.
Why it matters
The award recognizes individuals and organizations whose commitment to children's healthcare has advanced care models, offering a national benchmark for pediatric care quality. It highlights the work of a regional pediatric leader for readers across the United States.
Nicklaus Children's Health System operates a 474-bed system with more than 35 outpatient locations and has over 75 years of history. The extraction does not describe how the award's selection criteria were weighted against other candidates.
The players
Joint Commission
Joint Commission is an independent, evidence-based standards setting organization that accredits and certifies healthcare organizations in the United States.
Nicklaus Children's Health System
Nicklaus Children's Health System is a pediatric health system in South Florida that serves children and families across multiple counties.
Matthew A. Love
Matthew A. Love is the president and CEO of Nicklaus Children's Health System.
Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD
Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD, is the president and CEO of Joint Commission and a physician-executive known for health system leadership.
The details
Joint Commission presented the Champion for Children's Care Award to Nicklaus Children's for its work as a regional leader in pediatric care. The health system, which is an academic and clinical affiliate of the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, was recognized during UNIFY 2026.
Timeline
2026: Nicklaus Children's received the Champion for Children's Care Award.
November 2, 2026: The award announcement was published.
Big Picture
The inaugural Champion for Children's Care Award extends Joint Commission's recognition program into a dedicated pediatric category. It positions children's care as a distinct quality priority within the accreditation body's existing awards framework.
The award recognizes pediatric care quality, which may inform how families evaluate children's hospitals in their area. Readers seeking pediatric services can use Joint Commission's public recognition as one reference point when comparing providers.
The takeaway
Families comparing children's hospitals can look to recognition programs like this one as an additional signal of pediatric care quality. Checking accreditation and awards alongside services offered helps guide informed decisions.
Further reading
Explore more in Children's Health coverage.
More information
Learn more about the Champion for Children's Care Award on the Joint Commission website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Miami's Community News.
