SGMC Health’s Hospitalist Group Honored with Relentless Pursuit of Perfection Award
Thursday, July 23rd, 2026
SGMC Health announces that its hospitalist group, Apogee Physicians, has been honored by its national leadership with the Relentless Pursuit of Perfection Award. This recognition highlights programs that go above and beyond in developing new processes, procedures, and initiatives while working closely with hospital leadership and medical staff to continuously strengthen patient care.
The hospitalist practice at SGMC Health, led by Program Directors Phillip Alscher, MD, and Dhaval Patel, DO, earned this distinction for successfully implementing new processes and initiatives that strengthen care delivery while maintaining outstanding performance through organizational opportunities.
A hospitalist is a physician who specializes in the care of hospitalized patients. Unlike other doctors who might divide their time between their office and the hospital, hospitalists work exclusively in the hospital, providing consistent and comprehensive care throughout a patient’s stay. SGMC Health has partnered with Apogee since 2016.
Dr. Alscher expressed his gratitude for the recognition, saying, “The hospitalist team is honored to serve our community as part of the SGMC Health family. We continually strive to improve the health and well-being of the region and enhance our system to best serve our community. This award recognizes our program as a national leader in doing so, and we have been honored to share our successful methods with hospitalist groups around the country. This success would not have been possible without teamwork among many hospital services and the support of SGMC Health leadership. We are all privileged to work here at SGMC Health.”
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our hospitalist team and our strong partnership with SGMC Health in advancing quality of care and improving access to care for the patients we serve," Dr. Patel said. "Our physicians are actively engaged in supporting the organization’s quality initiatives and play a vital role in medical staff leadership, working collaboratively across departments to improve patient outcomes, strengthen clinical excellence, and help drive the continued success of our health system."
Pankaj Agrawal, MD, Chief Medical Officer at SGMC Health, added, “This award showcases the culture of excellence and continuous improvement that defines our hospitalist program. The Apogee team consistently works to strengthen patient care, improve processes, and advance innovative solutions that benefit both our patients and our organization. We are proud to see their efforts recognized on a national level.”
The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection Award is a significant achievement for Apogee Physicians at SGMC Health, recognizing the team's commitment to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Their success reflects a shared dedication to advancing patient care and strengthening the health system for the communities SGMC Health serves.
For more information about SGMC Health and Apogee Physicians, please visit sgmc.org.
