About XcellenceFirst
Transforming Healthcare Through Expertise and Innovation
We are a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to driving measurable outcomes for organizations navigating complex operational and clinical challenges.
Our Story
XcellenceFirst was founded on a simple but powerful belief: that healthcare organizations deserve consulting partners who understand the unique pressures of the industry — not just the business side, but the human side.
From the bedside to the boardroom, our team brings firsthand experience in clinical operations, informatics, workforce wellness, and performance improvement. We don't just advise — we roll up our sleeves and work alongside your teams to create lasting change.
Our name says it all. We put excellence first — in every engagement, every deliverable, and every relationship we build.
Mission, Vision & Values
Mission
To empower healthcare organizations to Change, Create, Innovate, and Disrupt through expert consulting, data-driven strategies, and people-centered solutions.
Vision
A healthcare system where every organization has the tools, talent, and insight to deliver exceptional care and sustainable performance.
Values
Integrity, Excellence, Collaboration, Innovation, and a relentless commitment to the patients and communities our clients serve.
Our Leadership
Experienced healthcare professionals committed to your organization's success.
Dr. Denise Hammel
PhD, RN, MSN, CPHQ, CLSSBB
Dr. Hammel is a healthcare executive consultant, educator, and transformational leader with more than 25 years of experience across bedside nursing, clinical informatics, population health, and organizational change. As President of XcellenceFirst, Inc., she advises multi-hospital health systems, public health agencies, healthcare technology companies, and start-ups on clinical technology implementation, operational redesign, governance, and change management. Her work has delivered more than $1 million in process-efficiency savings and measurable gains in quality, safety, and workforce engagement. Before founding XcellenceFirst, she held senior consulting and leadership roles at Futura, Siemens, Greencastle Consulting Associates, Catholic Health East, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She began her career as a critical care nurse and nursing informaticist serving nurse-managed and community health centers.
Since 2013, Dr. Hammel has been on the faculty of Thomas Jefferson University's College of Population Health, where she teaches graduate courses in nursing informatics, Lean thinking, change management, healthcare quality and safety, and chronic care management, and mentors capstone and doctoral students. She holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, an MSN in Public Health with a minor in Informatics, and master's certificates in Artificial Intelligence from Johns Hopkins University and Lean Six Sigma from Villanova University. She has published in Population Health Management, written a chapter for Nursing Informatics: The Foundation of Knowledge, and presented at ANIA and the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association. She is also a former president of the HIMSS Delaware Valley Chapter.
Credentials & Certifications
Our team holds industry-recognized certifications that reflect our commitment to the highest standards of practice.
Ready to Work Together?
Let's talk about how XcellenceFirst can help your organization achieve its goals.