COMPANIES IN EVERY INDUSTRY STRIVE for excellence. There are certain perks when you're a notch above the rest: A prestigious name attracts talented employees, a trusted brand draws a loyal customer base. But greatness often comes at a price for consumers. As the adage goes, "You get what you pay for." While many of us forego the daily luxuries for our wallets' sake, there are a few areas where no one can afford to skimp. Health care is one of them.

When you or a loved one are sick, you want the utmost confidence in the care that they're receiving. But what should you look for in a hospital, and what separates the good from the great? Newsweek connected with some of the nation's top health system leaders to learn what sets their organizations apart. It turns out that they all follow similar playbooks—starting with the patient experience.

TOP TIER Employees at AMCs, where new research is applied to clinical care, feel especially proud. The best ones put the patient experience first, say Carr, above, and Entwistle, right.

All hospitals are committed to health and healing, said Dr. Redonda Miller, president of The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore: "But truly exceptional hospitals are committed to taking patient care a few steps beyond traditional diagnosis and treatment."

Sometimes, that looks like extra attention to little details—like making sure patients leave with their medications in hand or calling them after they discharge from the hospital to check in on their recovery at home.

"But it goes even further than that," Miller said, "to sitting quietly with a patient and holding their hand after they've received bad news, or gathering the whole care team to cheer when a patient rings the bell at the end of cancer treatment, or even hosting a wedding in an intensive care unit so a father who doesn't have long to live can give his daughter away."