A Culture of Caring, A Commitment to Excellence
“I Save Lives.”
Dr. Robert Severinac recalls walking through Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne while giving a tour to a surgeon considering joining the medical staff. As they passed a member of the hospital’s environmental services team, Dr. Severinac stopped to say hello.
“Hey, John! What do you do here at Dupont Hospital?” John smiled. “Oh, hey, Doc. I save lives.” The visiting surgeon looked a little surprised. Dr. Severinac continued, “How do you save lives, John?” “Well, Doc, I keep this hospital clean. I make sure the rooms are spotless so patients don’t pick up germs and get sick. That’s how I save lives.”
That simple exchange captures something extraordinary about the culture of Dupont Hospital: everyone recognizes that their work matters to the health and well-being of patients.
It is a philosophy that extends from the operating rooms and nursing units to the hallways, kitchens, administrative offices, and every corner of the hospital.
At Dupont Hospital, exceptional patient care is not simply the responsibility of the physicians. It is a shared commitment embraced by the entire team.
Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne: Designed Around Patients and the People Who Care for Them
Dupont Hospital was designed with significant input from physicians, including Dr. Severinac, who helped shape the hospital’s environment and approach to patient care.
From the beginning, the goal was to create more than a place where medical procedures are performed. The hospital was intended to be an environment where patients, their families, and guests feel welcomed, comfortable, respected, and personally cared for.
Much of this philosophy is reflected in the hospital’s physical design. Its spaces were thoughtfully planned with consideration for the experiences of patients, families, physicians, nurses, and staff.
The result is a hospital where the environment itself helps support a culture of attentive, compassionate care.
Physician Engagement and a Shared Sense of Responsibility
Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne
is partially physician-owned, and that ownership structure has helped foster a strong tradition of physician engagement.
Physicians have opportunities to participate in decisions affecting the hospital, collaborate with its administrative leadership, and contribute their perspectives on patient care and the clinical environment.
Dr. Severinac believes this involvement encourages a particularly meaningful sense of responsibility. Physicians are invested not only in the care of their own patients but also in the continued success and quality of the hospital as a whole.
Equally important is Dupont’s administrative leadership, which works closely with physicians and staff to understand their concerns, respond to their needs, and support the shared goal of excellent patient care.
It is this spirit of collaboration—not ownership alone—that helps make Dupont Hospital special.
Dr. Severinac’s Longstanding Commitment to Dupont Hospital
Dr. Severinac’s relationship with Dupont Hospital extends well beyond his surgical practice.
He served as the hospital’s Medical Chief of Staff from 2010 through 2012, participating in its medical leadership and serving on the hospital’s board.
In 2012, he became Chairman of the Board, a position he has continued to hold ever since.
Throughout these years, Dr. Severinac has had the opportunity to work alongside fellow physicians, hospital administrators, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who share a commitment to the hospital’s mission.
His involvement has reinforced his belief that the best hospital environments are created through collaboration, open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to listen.
As both a practicing surgeon and a hospital leader, he appreciates the importance of aligning the needs of patients with those of the professionals responsible for their care.
He considers it a privilege to contribute to an institution whose culture reflects these principles.
The Dupont Difference: Five-Star Customer Service at Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne
Dupont Hospital has developed a distinctive approach to patient care known as Five-Star Customer Service.
Inspired in part by the hospitality industry’s attention to personal service, this philosophy recognizes that excellent medical care includes much more than the technical aspects of diagnosis and treatment.
Patients and their families deserve to feel welcomed, respected, comfortable, and informed throughout their experience.
Dupont’s Five-Star Customer Service standards emphasize five principles:
- Courtesy: Treating patients, families, physicians, and fellow team members with kindness and respect.
- Image: Maintaining a professional, clean, healthy, and welcoming environment.
- Efficiency: Using technology and thoughtful processes to support timely, attentive care.
- Individuality: Recognizing that every patient has unique needs, concerns, and expectations.
- Education: Supporting continued learning among healthcare professionals and providing educational opportunities for patients and the community.
These principles are intended to guide interactions throughout the hospital, from the first telephone conversation to the patient’s return home.
They reflect an understanding that small acts of kindness, thoughtful communication, and attention to detail can make an important difference in the experience of patients and their families.
Learn more about Dupont Hospital’s Five-Star Customer Service philosophy.
Recognition for Quality and Patient Safety
Dupont Hospital’s commitment to quality has also been recognized through independent hospital assessments and national awards.
Among its recognitions and quality credentials are:
The Leapfrog Group — Hospital Safety Grade
Dupont Hospital received an A Hospital Safety Grade in spring 2026 from The Leapfrog Group, an independent organization that evaluates hospitals using measures related to patient safety, medical errors, accidents, and infections.
Leapfrog also publishes detailed hospital performance information, allowing patients to examine individual safety measures.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) — Overall Hospital Quality
In the August 2026 CMS hospital quality data release, Dupont Hospital received an overall rating of four out of five stars.
CMS evaluates hospitals using publicly reported measures covering important aspects of care, including safety, mortality, readmissions, patient experience, and timely and effective treatment.
This independent assessment is separate from Dupont’s own Five-Star Customer Service philosophy.
100 Top Hospitals — National Recognition
Dupont Hospital was recognized among the nation’s 100 Top Hospitals in 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017 by the Truven Health Analytics program, later associated with IBM Watson Health.
The recognition evaluated hospitals using measures of clinical performance, operational efficiency, and organizational effectiveness.
The Joint Commission — Hospital Accreditation
Dupont Hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission, an independent organization that evaluates healthcare institutions against established standards for quality and patient safety.
Accreditation reflects participation in an ongoing process of assessment and improvement.
These recognitions are meaningful because they provide perspectives beyond the hospital’s own description of its care. Awards and ratings are issued for particular years or reporting periods and may change as new assessments become available.
What This Means for Dr. Severinac’s Surgical Patients
At Indiana Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Severinac performs many facial and other selected procedures in the comfort of his office using local anesthesia and oral sedation.
Other procedures, including abdominoplasty and certain breast and body-contouring operations, require general anesthesia and are performed at Dupont Hospital.
For these patients, the surgical experience involves much more than the operation itself.
It includes the professionals who welcome them, prepare them for surgery, administer anesthesia, assist in the operating room, monitor their recovery, and help them prepare to return home.
Dr. Severinac values the opportunity to work with experienced surgical and anesthesia teams in a hospital environment that places importance on both technical excellence and compassionate personal attention.
Many procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis, depending on the operation and the patient’s individual circumstances.
During the personal consultation, Dr. Severinac explains the recommended surgical setting, anesthesia approach, anticipated recovery, and other considerations specific to each patient.
A Shared Commitment to Caring
For Dr. Severinac, Dupont Hospital’s greatest strength is not found in any single award, architectural feature, or leadership position.
It is found in the people who work there and in their shared understanding that every role contributes to the patient’s well-being.
From the surgeon performing an operation to the nurse offering reassurance, the administrator helping resolve a concern, or the environmental services employee carefully cleaning a patient room, each person contributes to the experience and safety of those entrusted to the hospital’s care.
That is the culture Dr. Severinac has valued, supported, and helped guide throughout his years at Dupont Hospital.
And it is the reason the simple words of an environmental services employee remain such a meaningful expression of the hospital’s philosophy:
“I save lives.”
For patients considering surgery with Dr. Severinac, this commitment to thoughtful, compassionate care is an important part of the overall surgical experience.
Learn more about Your Personal Consultation with Dr. Severinac or contact Indiana Plastic Surgery Center to schedule an appointment.