/ en Mon, 28 Apr 2025 04:08:28 -0500 Mon, 17 Mar 25 14:45:16 -0500 /award/2025-03-17-2024-rural-hospital-leadership-team-award-winner-and-finalists <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img data-entity-uuid="463b5f37-127f-4fdf-90bb-0681d0fc6ec4" data-entity-type="file" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Rural-Hospital-Leadership-Award-Winner-Columbia-Memorial-900x695.jpg" width="900" height="675" alt="2024 Rural Hospital Leadership Award Winner Columbia Memorial Hospital."><h2>Winner: Columbia Memorial Hospital, Astoria, Ore.</h2><p>Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH) provides a broad range of specialty services to a population of more than 41,000, in addition to providing care for some of the over 125,000 tourists visiting Oregon’s North Coast annually. In 2010, CMH established a clinical collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to enhance access to specialty care within the community. In 2017, the CMH-OHSU Knight Cancer Collaborative, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment center, opened in Astoria, saving local patients more than 80,000 miles and 1,600 hours of drive time each year. CMH recently broke ground on a 180,000-square-foot hospital expansion, which will expand hospital service lines, attract new providers and provide the latest technology to address community health needs. The new facility is being constructed with disaster resiliency in mind, including a Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Refuge Structure to offer a safe evacuation space to community members and caregivers, as well as a rooftop helipad and emergency operations center.</p><h2>Finalists</h2><h3>Atrium Health Lincoln, Lincolnton, N.C.</h3><p>Atrium Health Lincoln’s (AHL) innovative use of telemedicine brings across-the-spectrum care to underserved communities through virtual health programs. The school-based virtual therapy program serves over 2,000 students and facilitated approximately 18,000 therapy visits in 2023, resulting in over 30% improvement in depressive and anxiety symptoms among participants. Leveraging a virtual platform for care creates increased accessibility resulting in a 10% increase in family therapy engagement. The program has since expanded beyond Lincoln County and now operates in 11 counties and 204 schools, making it the largest school-based virtual therapy program in the Southeast.</p><h3>Schneck Medical Center, Seymour, Ind.</h3><p>Schneck Medical Center (SMC) is the only hospital facility in rural Jackson County, which has a high rate of chronic conditions and poverty, with 31% of the adult population living below 200% of the federal poverty level. To address these factors, SMC is the backbone organization for the Healthy Jackson County coalition, highlighting the impact of collaboration in the reduction of chronic disease. SMC also spearheads and supports programs fighting food insecurity; addressing the specific needs of the area’s Latino population; and bringing care to those with mental health and substance use disorders.</p><h3>Summit Pacific Medical Center, Elma, Wash.</h3><p>Summit Pacific Medical Center (SPMC) is a critical access hospital serving Grays Harbor County and has a bold vision of building the healthiest community in the country. SPMC is being recognized for its innovative approach to addressing the region’s significant health challenges, including high rates of chronic disease, economic hardship and poor health factors. Through its Low Barrier Behavioral and Primary Care Clinic, SPMC provides integrated behavioral health, medication-assisted treatment and walk-in services to underserved populations facing barriers to care. Additionally, the hospital’s newly accredited Rural Family Medicine Residency Program has added more than 3,000 patient visits each year.</p><p>This year’s honorees were recognized at the AHA Rural Health Care Leadership Conference, February 23-26, 2025, in San Antonio.</p><p>Please join our mailing list to be notified when next year’s application becomes available.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><p><a href="/about/awards/rural-hospital-leadership-award">About the 2025 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award</a></p><p><a href="/2006-01-06-rural-hospital-leadership-award-winners">Past Winners of the Award</a></p></div></div></div></div></div> Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:45:16 -0500 Award /award/2024-06-13-circle-life-award-digital-engagement-toolkit <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-10 col-md-offset-1 spacer center_callout_3" id="SocialPosts"> #SocialPosts .rowEqual_768>[class*='col-'] { -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */ /*flex: auto;*/ width: calc((100%) - 2px) /*Adjust % for the number per row, will override the bootstrap - Also needed for Safari*/ ; margin-bottom: 25px } @media (max-width: 768px){ #SocialPosts .rowEqual_768>[class*='col-'] { -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */ /*flex: auto;*/ width: calc((100% / 1) - 2px) /*Adjust % for the number per row, will override the bootstrap - Also needed for Safari*/ ; margin-bottom: 25px } } .center_callout_3 { background-color: #f6f6f6; text-align: center; margin-top:50px; margin-bottom: 25px; } .center_callout_3 .center_callout_3_holder { margin-bottom: 25px; } .center_callout_3 h4 { color: #002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 30px 0; } /*.center_callout_3 h3 { margin: 25px 0 0 0; color: #555; font-size: .7em; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 3px; }*/ .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink { border: solid 3px #307fe2; display: block; margin: 15px 0 0 0; overflow: hidden; color: #002855; background-color: white; /*! background-color: white; */ border: solid 3px #f6f6f6; display: block; transition: .2s; color: #307fe2; height: 100%; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink:hover { border: solid 3px #307fe2; color: #555; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink a { color: #002855; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink:hover p a { color: #307fe2; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink p a, .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink p a:hover, .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink:hover h2 a { color: #9d2235; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink:hover img { opacity: .6; transform: scale(1.1); transition: 3s; } .center_callout_3 .center_callout_3_icon { width: 70%; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink h2 { font-size: 1.2em; padding: 0 10px; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink h2.center_callout_3_h_1 { color: #69b3e7; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink h2.center_callout_3_h_2 { color: #002855; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink h2.center_callout_3_h_3 { color: #69b3e7; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink h2:hover { transition: .2s; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink p { line-height: 1.6em; padding: 0 10px 15px 10px; color: #333; text-align: left; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink p { font-size: 16px; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink ul { line-height: 1.6em; color: #333; text-align: left; } .center_callout_3 ul { list-style: none; /* Remove default bullets */ padding-left: 30px; margin-top: 15px; margin-bottom: 25px; padding-right: 15px; } .center_callout_3 ul li { margin-bottom: 7px; line-height: 1.5em; padding-left: 23px; text-indent: -23px; font-size: 16px; } .center_callout_3 ul li::before { content: " "; font-size: 1em; margin-right: 5px; display: inline-block; height: 12px; background-color: #69b3e7; width: 12px; position: relative; top: 0px; } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width:568px) { .center_callout_3 center_callout_3_ul { width: 75%; margin: auto; } .HashTag{ font-weight:700; } .center_callout_3 div.center_callout_3_nolink.center_callout_3_nolink a.btn { color: #fff; } <div class="row"><div class="col-md-12"><h2>Sample Social Media Posts</h2> </p> --> xxxxxxxx4444 </h4> --> xxxx3333 </h3> --></div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-md-12"><div class="row rowEqual_768"><div class="col-md-4 center_callout_3_holder"><div class="center_callout_3_nolink" id="SavetheDateCopy"><h3>Apply Now!</h3> Save the Date! </h5> --><ul><li>Are you or do you know an innovator in palliative and end-of-life care? Apply now for one of health care’s highest honors: the 2025 Circle of Life Award, which celebrates effective, equitable and patient-centered care. Share your story and inspire the field. Learn more and download an application: <a href="/about/awards/circle-life" target="_blank" title="Circle of Life Awards landing page">/about/awards/circle-life</a></li><li>The 2025 Circle of Life Award application is now available. This prestigious award recognizes organizations with innovative, patient-centered and sustainable approaches to caring for patients with a serious or life-limiting illness. Learn more and download an application: <a href="/about/awards/circle-life" target="_blank" title="Circle of Life Awards landing page">/about/awards/circle-life</a></li><li>The 2025 Circle of Life Award will honor innovative, patient-centered palliative and end-of-life care programs and organizations. Learn more about the award and download this year’s application: <a href="/about/awards/circle-life" target="_blank" title="Circle of Life Awards landing page">/about/awards/circle-life</a></li><li>We are proud to sponsor one of health care’s highest honors, the Circle of Life Award, which celebrates innovation in palliative and end-of-life care. Learn about the award and download a 2025 application: <a href="/about/awards/circle-life" target="_blank" title="Circle of Life Awards landing page">/about/awards/circle-life</a></li></ul><div><a class="btn btn-primary" href="#">Copy Text</a></div> function CopyToClipboard(SavetheDateCopy) { var r = document.createRange(); r.selectNode(document.getElementById(SavetheDateCopy)); window.getSelection().removeAllRanges(); window.getSelection().addRange(r); document.execCommand('copy'); window.getSelection().removeAllRanges(); } </div></div></div></div></div></div></div> .y-hr3 { clear: both; } <div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div><div class="row center_body" id="SocialGraphics"><h2 class="text-align-center">Social Media Graphics</h2> .MediaDropWrapperzz a { /*float: left;*/ font-size: 14px; color: green; text-align: center; padding: 3px 5px; text-decoration: none; text-align:center; } .MediaDropWrapper h3 { text-align:center; font-size:18px; } .MediaDropWrapper img { margin: auto; display: block; } .MediaDropSection { /*float: left;*/ overflow: hidden; text-align:center; margin-top:10px; } .MediaDropSection-content { display: none; position: absolute; background-color: #f9f9f9; /*width:50%;*/ min-width: 200px; /*box-shadow: 0px 8px 16px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);*/ z-index: 1; padding-top:10px; left: calc((100% / 2) - 100px); } .MediaDropSection-content a { float: none; color: black; padding: 3px 5px; text-decoration: none; display: block; text-align: center; } .MediaDropSection-content a:hover { background-color: #ddd; } .show { display: block; } @media (min-width: 991px) { #SocialGraphics .rowEqual_768 { display: -webkit-box; display: -webkit-flex; display: -ms-flexbox; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; } #SocialGraphics .rowEqual_768>[class*='col-'] { -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */ /*flex: auto;*/ width: calc((100% / 1) - 2px) /*Safari Fix*/; } } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 990px) { #SocialGraphics .rowEqual_768 { display: -webkit-box; display: -webkit-flex; display: -ms-flexbox; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; } #SocialGraphics .rowEqual_768>[class*='col-'] { -ms-flex: 1; /* IE 10 */ flex: auto; width: calc((100% / 1) - 2px) /*Safari Fix*/; } } @media (max-width: 990px) { .MediaDropSection-content{ position:relative; width:50%; margin:auto } .MediaDropSection-content a{ text-align:center } } <div class="row rowEqual_768"><div class="col-md-2 MediaDropWrapper"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-06/COL-Imgs-2024-Twitter-1024x512.jpg" alt="Circle of Life Award. Celebrating Innovation in Palliative and End-of-Life Care. Image for Twitter 1024x512." width="100%" height="100%"><div class="MediaDropSection"><p>Select Download</p><div class="MediaDropSection-content" id="myMediaDropSection1"><a href="/sites/default/files/2024-06/COL-Imgs-2024-Facebook-Instagram-1080x1080.jpg" target="_blank" title="Facebook" download="COL-Imgs-2024-Facebook-Instagram-1080x1080.jpg">Facebook and Instagram</a> <a href="/sites/default/files/2024-06/COL-Imgs-2024-LinkedIn-1200x628.jpg" target="_blank" title="LinkedIn" download="COL-Imgs-2024-LinkedIn-1200x628.jpg">LinkedIn </a><a href="/sites/default/files/2024-06/COL-Imgs-2024-Twitter-1024x512.jpg" target="_blank" title="Twitter" download="COL-Imgs-2024-Twitter-1024x512.jpg">Twitter</a> <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/06/2025-Circle-of-Life-Social-Media-Images.zip" target="_blank" title="All Images" download="2025-Circle-of-Life-Social-Media-Images.zip"><strong>All Images</strong></a></div></div> /* Shows the content */ function myFunction1() { document.getElementById("myMediaDropSection1").classList.toggle("show"); } </div></div></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><ul><li><a href="/other-resources/2017-12-11-circle-life-award-winners"><strong>Past Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2019-05-14-circle-life-award-committee-members"><strong>Committee Members</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2010-07-08-circles-influence"><strong>Circles of Influence</strong></a></li><li><a href="/about/awards/circle-life/sponsors"><strong>Sponsors</strong></a></li></ul><div class="panel"><h3>Join Our Mailing List</h3><p>For updates on the Circle of Life Award and to be notified when the new application goes live, please join our mailing list.</p> MktoForms2.loadForm("//sponsors.aha.org", "710-ZLL-651", 2978);</div></div></div></div> Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:17:11 -0500 Award /federal-health-care-executive-awards <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><h2><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/AHA-Annual-Meeting-Federal-Awards-Presentation_0.jpg" data-entity-uuid="dd1391f4-7c18-4a38-9240-0cc2d008f2c4" data-entity-type="file" alt="AHA Annual Meeting 2024 Federal Health Care Executive Recognition presentation." width="50%" height="50%" class="align-right">Federal Health Care Executive Recognition Programs</h2><p>The ���������� Association (AHA) sponsors two awards in recognition of federal health care executives who have had a significant and lasting impact on military and/or public health care delivery. Selections for these honors are made at the determination of the AHA and are not mandatory. The 2024 awards will be presented at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting, May 4-6, 2025, in Washington, D.C.</p><h3>Nomination Process</h3><p>A call for nominations is issued in November to the Surgeons General of the Armed Forces (Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard), the Undersecretary for Health at the Veterans Administration, the Defense Health Agency, and the Director of the Indian Health Service. Nominations are accepted for each award from each branch of the service.</p><p>For additional information about the awards, please contact Shawna Brown at 312-422-3309 or <a href="mailto:federalawards@aha.org">federalawards@aha.org</a>.</p><h3 id="awardforexcellence">Federal Health Care Executive Award for Excellence</h3><p>The Federal Health Care Executive <strong>Award for Excellence</strong> recognizes a senior federal health care executive (uniformed or non-uniformed career commissioned officer 0-6 level or higher/GS-15 level or higher equivalent) whose leadership in directing and orchestrating innovative achievements has distinguished him/herself by contributing substantially to the mission of the federal health care system in the 18 months from mid-2023 through 2024.</p><h3 id="specialachievementaward">The Federal Health Care Executive Special Achievement Award</h3><p>The Federal Health Care Executive <strong>Special Achievement Award</strong> recognizes a federal career health care executive (uniformed or non-uniformed commissioned officer 0-5 level or lower/GS-14 level or lower equivalent) who has distinguished him/herself through a singular significant achievement or multiple sustained achievements that have enhanced the organization’s mission and/or contributed to the improvement of the federal health care system in the 18 months from mid-2023 through 2024.</p><h3>Federal Health Care Executive Leadership Award Recipients</h3><p>Recipients of the annual AHA Federal Health Care Executive Award for Excellence and Special Achievement Award follow:</p><table border="0" bordercolor="#c0c0c0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><span><strong>2023 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Colonel Craig Keyes</strong><br>Chief of Staff and Deputy Director<br>Defense Health Network<br>National Capital Region, Bethesda, Md.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Major Kimberly Forsythe</strong><br>Mental Health Officer in Charge<br>66th MDS Hanscom Clinic<br>Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2024-04-15-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2023 Award Winners Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2022 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Captain Kimberly D. Davis, M.D.</strong><br>CEO (Director)<br>Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA<br>United States Navy</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Captain Cody Morcom, PharmD</strong><br>Commander’s Support Staff Flight Commander and Medical Group Executive Officer<br>Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Del.<br>United States Air Force, 436th Medical Group</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2023-04-24-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2022 Award Winners Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2021 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Col. Kathy A. Naylor</strong><br>Chief<br>Air Force Medical Service Transition Cell<br>United States Air Force, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Barbara I. Moidel</strong><br>Program Manager<br>Healthcare Resolutions Program<br>Walter Reed National Military Medical Center<br>Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2022-04-26-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders" target="_blank">2021 Awards Winners – Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2020 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Brig. Gen. John J. Bartrum</strong><br>Headquarters Air Force/Mobilization Assistant to Deputy Surgeon General<br>Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. Jason P. Richter</strong><br>Medical Support Squadron Commander and Medical Group Administrator<br>Aviano Air Base Ambulatory Surgical Center<br>United States Air Force, Aviano, Italy</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2021-04-21-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders" target="_blank">2020 Awards Winners – Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2019 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Col. Jennifer A. Brooks, M.D.</strong><br>United States Air Force<br>633rd Medical Operations Squadron<br>Langley USAF Hospital, Hampton, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Jennifer A. Koget</strong><br>Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, D.C.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2021-04-21-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders" target="_blank">2019 Awards Winners – Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2018 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. Valerie J. Riege</strong><br>Chief Innovation and Integration Officer<br>Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED)<br>United States Navy, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. DeWayne C. Lazenby, M.D.</strong><br>Deputy Commander & Chief of the Medical Staff<br>United States Air Force 92nd Medical Group, Spokane, Wash.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2019-04-09-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2018 Awards Winners – Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2017 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. James Hancock, M.D.</strong><br>Commanding Officer<br>Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, N.C.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. Johnathan Compton, M.D.</strong><br>Deputy Director of Medical Services<br>Air Force Medical Operations Agency, San Antonio, Texas</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2018-07-26-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2017 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2016 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Col. John J. Cotton, M.D., MPH</strong><br>Deputy Commander<br>United States Air Force 18th Medical Group<br>Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. Brian H. Neese, M.D., MPH</strong><br>Commander<br>United States Air Force 628th Medical Operations Squadron<br>Joint Base Charleston, S.C.</p><p><a href=/press-releases/2017-07-28-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2016 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><span><strong>2015 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Rear Adm. Terry J. Moulton</strong><br>Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy<br>U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Maj. Rett J. Reber</strong><br>United States Air Force 15 Medical Group<br>Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickham, Hawaii</p><p><a href=/press-releases/2016-07-27-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders">2015 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2014 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Brig. Gen. Charles E. Potter</strong><br>Director, Manpower, Personnel, and Resources<br>Office of the Surgeon General<br>United States Air Force, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. James D. Carrell, O.D.</strong><br>Chief<br>Department of Soldier Care<br>Moncrief Army Community Hospital<br>United States Army, Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2015-07-24-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders-2014">2014 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2013 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>SES Michael A. Sabo, FACHE</strong><br>Network Director<br>Department of Veteran Affairs New York/New Jersey Integrated Service Network (VISN 3)</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. Derek J. Larbie</strong><br>United States Air Force/377th Medical Group<br>Kirkland Air Force Base, N.M.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2014-07-29-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-executives-2013-recipients">2013 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2012 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. Maureen O'Hara Padden, M.D.</strong><br>Commanding officer<br>U.S. Naval Hospital, Pensacola, Fla.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Cmdr. Matthew Case</strong><br>MSC<br>United States Naval Hospital, Camp Lejeune, N.C.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2013-07-25-aha-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders-captain-padden-and-commander">2012 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2011 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. Stephen M. Pachuta, DDS</strong><br>MS, Dental Corps, Commanding Officer<br>U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka, Japan</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. Timothy J. Kosmatka, M.D.</strong><br>United States Air Force Medical Operations Agency<br>Lackland Air Force Base, Texas</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2012-12-22-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders-2011">2011 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2010 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. Cynthia J. Gantt</strong><br>NC, USN, Senior Nurse Executive and Director of Nursing Services<br>U.S. Naval Hospital Guam.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Col. L. "Michaelle" Guerrero</strong><br>Commander<br>82nd Medical Support Squadron/Administrator<br>82nd Medical Group<br>Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2011-02-19-american-hospital-association-honors-two-federal-health-care-leaders"><span><u>2010 Award Winners - Press Release</u></span></a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2009 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Capt. Russell Shilling</strong><br>Executive Director for Science and Technology<br>Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE)<br>while assigned to National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Cmdr. Megan Wohr</strong><br>Indian Health Service<br>Division of Epidemiology<br>National Tobacco Control Specialist<br>Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Ari.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2010-03-25-ahas-federal-hospital-constituency-section-honors-two-leaders-2009"><span><u>2009 Award Winners - Press Release</u></span></a></p></td></tr><tr><td><span><strong>2008 Awards</strong></span></td><td><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Col. William Beninati</strong><br>Commander<br>59th Medical Operations Group<br>Wilford Hall Medical Center<br>Lackland Air Force Base, Texas</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Maj. Tammie Jones</strong><br>Administrator<br>Department of Medicine<br>Brooke Army Medical Center<br>Fort Sam Houston, Texas</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2009-02-19-ahas-federal-hospital-constituency-section-honors-two-leaders">2008 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" width="20%"><span><strong>2007 Awards</strong></span></td><td align="left"><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Lt. Cmdr. Dawn Garcia</strong><br>Head Nurse<br>Combined Intensive Care Unit<br>Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Col. Jimmie O. Keenan</strong><br>Chief of Staff<br>Army Medical Action Plan<br>Army Medical Department<br>Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, Va.</p><p><a href="/press-releases/2008-02-19-ahas-federal-health-systems-section-honors-two-leaders-2007-honorees">2007 Award Winners - Press Release</a></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" width="20%"><span><strong>2006 Awards</strong></span></td><td align="left"><p><span><strong>Award for Excellence</strong></span><br><strong>Bruce Alan Gordon</strong><br>MSHA, Medical Center Director<br>Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, Texas</p><p><span><strong>Special Achievement Award</strong></span><br><strong>Shelly Rae Harris</strong><br>Chief Executive Officer<br>Rosebud Comprehensive Healthcare Facility, Rosebud, S.D.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div></div> Wed, 24 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500 Award /2024-03-19-2023-rural-hospital-leadership-team-award-winner-and-finalists <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p>Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital serves a population that is approximately 30% Native Hawaiian, and some communities in its service area have even larger percentages. Native Hawaiians experience tremendous health disparities with poorer health status, higher chronic disease risk and a life expectancy that is seven years less than everyone else in the state. Hawaii Island faces significant disparities in access to health care due to provider shortages, limited health services and challenges in transportation. Guided by its Kahua Ola (foundation of health) plan and Hawaii’s Community Health Needs Assessment, Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital implemented initiatives toward eliminating the existing health disparities and improving the quality of life for vulnerable patients with complex care needs.</p><p>The finalists include:</p><ul><li>The teams at Providence Alaska in Seward, Valdez and Kodiak, Alaska. The hospitals collaborated across distant locations to design local housing solutions to meet their needs. The Providence hospitals are feeling the positive impact as the use of travelers has dropped, employee satisfaction is rising, and stress on existing caregivers is being reduced.<br> </li><li>CEO Ella Goss; Cass Health in Atlantic, Iowa and team who, through Cass Health's labor and delivery services; student experience program; and Health Equity Committee, are three initiatives that allows Cass Health to provide outstanding care in Iowa.<br> </li><li>CEO Brett Altman; and Hannibal Regional Healthcare System and teams who through Hannibal’s innovative workforce pipeline starting in the K-12 setting, moving in to the community college level, university degree programs, and most recently the terminal degrees in internal medicine is a direct investment that will benefit the health care needs of rural Missouri for generations to come.</li></ul></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><p><a href="/about/awards/rural-hospital-leadership-award">About the 2025 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award</a></p><p><a href="/2006-01-06-rural-hospital-leadership-award-winners">Past Winners of the Award</a></p></div></div></div></div></div> Tue, 19 Mar 2024 14:09:49 -0500 Award /about/awards/quest-for-quality <div class="container">@media (min-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1_holder{ top:-35px } } @media (max-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1_holder{ top:-1px; margin-bottom:25px } } .sp_CTA1_holder{ background-color: #f6f6f6; padding:15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto } .sp_CTA1 h3{ color:#002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px ; } .sp_CTA1 span{ display:block; margin-top:10px } .sp_CTA1 span a{ color:#d50032; } .sp_CTA1 span a:hover{ color:#651d32; } .sp_CTA1 img{ width: 150px; max-width: 85%; } @media (max-width:768px) and (min-width:361px){ .sp_CTA1 .col-xs-2{ width: 25%; left:15px } .sp_CTA1 .col-xs-10{ width: 70%; padding-right: 15px } } @media (max-width:360px){ .sp_CTA1 img{ margin: auto; display: block } .sp_CTA1 .col-xs-2{ width: 100%; } .sp_CTA1 .col-xs-10{ width: 100%; text-align: center; padding: 0 25px } } <div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><h2>The 2025 Application Period Is Closed</h2><p>The application period for the 2025 AHA Quest for Quality Prize has closed. The awards will be presented at the 2025 AHA Leadership Summit, July 20 – 22, in Nashville. If you would like to be notified when the 2026 application is available, please join our mailing list.</p><p>Contact <a href="mailto:questforquality@aha.org?subject=RE: 2025 AHA Quest for Quality Prize">questforquality@aha.org</a> with questions.</p><hr><h2>2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Honorees Announced</h2><p>Congratulations to 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner WellSpan Health, York, Pa! WellSpan Health and Quest for Quality Prize Finalists Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, Va., Jefferson Health, Philadelphia, and MUSC Health, Charleston, S.C., were honored at the AHA Leadership Summit in San Diego.</p><p></p><p>To learn more about WellSpan Health and the finalists, watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kl6m43t8a4" target="_blank" title="YouTube: 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Honorees">celebratory video</a> and download the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/2024-The-American-Hospital-Association-Quest-for-Quality-Prize-Honorees.pdf">honoree booklet</a>.</p><div class="row sp_Resource1"> .sp_Resource1 { /*padding: 50px 0 50px 0;*/ display: inline-block } .sp_Resource1 h3{ margin: 10px 0 0 0; color: #555; font-size: .7em; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 3px; } .sp_Resource1 h4{ color: #002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 15px 0 } .sp_Resource1 h2{ line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 15px 0 } .sp_Resource1_holder { background-color: #f6f6f6; padding: 15px; overflow: auto; /* max-width: 85%; */ /* margin: auto; */ } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img { /*padding-bottom: 15px;*/ margin-top: 0px; } @media (max-width:768px) and (min-width:340px) { .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-3 { width: 40%; } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9 { width: 60%; } } @media (max-width:500px) and (min-width:361px) { .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img { margin: auto; display: block; margin-left: 100%; } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder.col-xs-3 { width: 100%; } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9 { width: 100%; } } @media (max-width:360px) { .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder img { margin: auto; display: block } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-3 { width: 100%; max-width: 150px; margin-left: calc(50% - 75px); margin-right: } .sp_Resource1 .sp_Resource1_holder .col-xs-9 { width: 100%; padding: 0 25px } } .sp_Resource1 .btn { margin-top: 20px; } <div class="col-md-12 sp_Resource1_holder"><div class="col-sm-4 col-md-3"><a href="/leading-safety-aha-quest-quality-series" title="Leading for Safety: AHA Quest for Quality Series"><img src="/sites/default/files/2021-12/mindy-estes-board-player.png" alt="Mindy Estes" width="270" height="151"></a></div><div class="col-sm-8 col-md-9"><h2>Leading for Safety: AHA Quest for Quality Series</h2></div><div class="col-md-12"><p>The AHA Patient Safety Initiative presents Leading for Safety, a virtual series featuring insights from past Quest for Quality awardees. This series explores how health care leaders can drive safer, higher-quality care by fostering a culture of safety and innovation. Combining the prestigious Quest for Quality Prize with the AHA’s Patient Safety Initiative, Leading for Safety provides practical strategies for executive leadership in advancing patient safety.</p><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/leading-safety-aha-quest-quality-series" title="Leading for Safety: AHA Quest for Quality Series">View Video Series</a></p></div></div></div><h3>Share Your Improvement Journey</h3><p>Be recognized as a national quality leader. The AHA Quest for Quality Prize honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. Applicants should provide access to exceptional quality, safe and patient- and family-centered care, partner with other community organizations and agencies to improve the health status of their communities and address disparities, and develop new and innovative models of care.</p><p>The AHA Quest for Quality Prize will honor one winner, up to two finalists and up to two Citation of Merit recipients.</p><h3>Readiness</h3><p>How do you know if your organization is “ready” to apply?</p><p>The quest for quality is a journey without end; you should apply if your organization is striving to</p><ul><li>Raise awareness of the value of a hospital-wide/system-wide commitment to advancing health in America by providing access to exceptional quality, safe, and patient- and family-centered and affordable care that promotes individual and community well-being and adds value to lives</li><li>Showcase successful efforts to develop and promote new and innovative models of care, services and collaboration to provide seamless care</li><li>Inspire hospitals and systems to lead and partner with other community organizations to improve health status and address health care disparities</li><li>Recognize hospital and system leadership to improve efficiency and effectiveness of care</li></ul><p>Hospitals and systems tell us that going through the application process was valuable in and of itself — it led to amazing discoveries about their own organization, their dedicated teams, and their best practices and innovation.</p><p>All health systems and hospitals in the United States are eligible to apply for the award. A “system” is defined as two or more hospitals owned, leased, sponsored or contract managed by a central organization. “System” shall refer to the parent organization and “hospital” shall refer to the system’s individual hospitals. Depending on your organization type, you have the option of selecting the “Hospital” or “Health System” application.</p><p>Please email <a href="mailto:questforquality@aha.org?subject=Quest%20for%20Quality%20Prize">questforquality@aha.org</a> with any questions about the prize.</p><hr><p> @media (min-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /*top:-15px;*/ } } @media (max-width:767px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /* top:-50px;*/ margin: 0px 50px; } } .sp_CTA1b_holder{ background-color: #55555511; padding:15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto; border: solid 2px #307FE2; } .sp_CTA1b h3{ color:#002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; } .sp_CTA1b span{ display:block; margin-top:10px } .sp_CTA1b span a{ color:#d50032; } .sp_CTA1b span a:hover{ color:#651d32; } <div class="col-sm-12 sp_CTA1b_holder"> <div class="col-xs-12"> <div class="col-sm-6"> <a href="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" title="View larger image" target="_blank"> <img src="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg"> </a> <p> 2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit. </p> </div> <div class="col-sm-6" id="CelebratoryVideo"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> </div> <a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2023/07/Quest-for-Quality-2023.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 The ���������� Association Quest for Quality® Prize Honorees">Download Honoree Booklet</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> --> </p><div class="row" id="2023Quest">@media (min-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /*top:-15px;*/ } } @media (max-width:767px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /* top:-50px;*/ margin: 0px 50px; } } .sp_CTA1b_holder{ background-color: #55555511; padding:15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto; border: solid 2px #307FE2; } .sp_CTA1b h3{ color:#002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; } .sp_CTA1b span{ display:block; margin-top:10px } .sp_CTA1b span a{ color:#d50032; } .sp_CTA1b span a:hover{ color:#651d32; } <div class="col-sm-12 sp_CTA1b_holder"><div class="col-xs-12"><div class="col-sm-10 col-md-offset-1"><a href="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" target="_blank" title="View larger image"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" width="1280" height="854" alt="2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit."></a><p>2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit.</p></div><div class="col-sm-10 col-md-offset-1 spacer" id="CelebratoryVideo"><div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"></div></div><hr><p></p><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth" target="_blank" title="Advancing Health">Advancing Health</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/quest-for-quality-honorees-on-challenges-and-the-impact-of-equity-on-care" target="_blank" title="Quest for Quality Honorees on Challenges and the Impact of Equity on Care">Quest for Quality Honorees on Challenges and the Impact of Equity on Care</a></div><p> </p><details class="transcript"><h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."><span>View Transcript</span><br> </h2><p>00;00;01;02 - 00;00;44;25<br>Tom Haederle<br>The famous humanitarian philosopher and physician, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, said: "A good example has twice the value of good advice." In health care's never ending journey towards better service for patients, good examples are especially valuable as teaching tools that demonstrate what is possible. Stick with us today as this podcast highlights three health organizations that are leading by example as winners of the ���������� Association's 2023 Quest for Quality Prize.</p><p>00;00;44;27 - 00;01;12;13<br>Tom Haederle<br>Welcome to Advancing Health, a podcast from the ���������� Association. I'm Tom Haederle with AHA Communications, the AHA Quest for Quality Prize honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. The 2023 winner was Mainline Health in Pennsylvania, Atlantic Health System in New Jersey and University of Chicago Medicine were finalists with Citation of Merit Awards.</p><p>00;01;12;16 - 00;01;28;05<br>Tom Haederle<br>This year's three honorees were recognized at the AHA Leadership Summit in Seattle, and during that meeting, they sat down with us to talk about their achievements, reflect on the challenges they faced, and assess the real impact of equity on quality of care. Let's join them.</p><p>00;01;28;08 - 00;01;52;12<br>Akin Demehin<br>Welcome to the AHA Advancing Health Podcast. My name is Akin Demehin and I'm senior director for Quality in Patient Safety Policy at the ���������� Association. And I have the honor of sitting down with the three organizations that won The Quest for Quality Awards this year. First, let me ask our panelists to go around and introduce themselves, starting with Jack Lynch.</p><p>00;01;52;14 - 00;01;56;18<br>Jack Lynch<br>My name is Jack Lynch, president and CEO at Mainline Health in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.</p><p>00;01;56;25 - 00;02;01;27<br>Stephen Weber<br>My name is Steven Weber, the health system CMO and executive vice president of the University of Chicago Medicine.</p><p>00;02;02;03 - 00;02;09;03<br>Suja Mathew<br>Hi Akin. I'm Suja Mathew. I'm executive vice president and chief clinical officer of Atlantic Health System.</p><p>00;02;09;05 - 00;02;30;04<br>Akin Demehin<br>Thank you. And first of all, congratulations on this award. It is truly a testament to your own organization's hard work and really an exemplar for the whole hospital field. So I want to spend some time doing this morning is talking to you about the process of applying for the award specifically, but starting more generally around your quality journey.</p><p>00;02;30;04 - 00;02;40;11<br>Akin Demehin<br>And I would really be interested if you all would reflect on one of the most challenging aspects of your quality journey in recent years and how you worked to overcome it.</p><p>00;02;40;14 - 00;03;06;01<br>Suja Mathew<br>You know, Akin, I'll tell you that one of our most challenging aspects of our health care quality journey is one that we're going through right now. So if you'd allow me to talk about what we're doing about it and how we're addressing it while we're in the middle of it, and it's very closely tied in to what we're all experiencing around the country is the sequella of the pandemic.</p><p>00;03;06;04 - 00;03;47;13<br>Suja Mathew<br>So specifically, it's our workforce. And there's been a lot of conversation, of course, about the quantity of individuals in our workforce. What we're addressing and challenged by is what I'll just term as the quality, just to compare it to quantity, the quality of the workforce. Again, more specifically, we are seeing a young workforce enter our health system and into our hospitals, especially around the clinical fields that haven't had the same type of preparation during their education and training that historically those individuals have.</p><p>00;03;47;13 - 00;04;32;27<br>Suja Mathew<br>So we're seeing young doctors, young nurses, young pharmacists that trained during the pandemic, and that has meant that we have needed to come alongside those individuals and support them, frankly, in a way that wasn't necessary, certainly not enmasse in the past. So we have had to relook at our orientation programs, our preceptorship programs, our general oversight and support that we provide, again, for all of those clinical team members to ensure that what they may not have seen and or learned during their training, we're able to provide them elbow support and guide them through during their early years of working with us.</p><p>00;04;32;29 - 00;04;50;09<br>Stephen Weber<br>I might add on to that I suspect all of us will overlap in terms of some of those experiences and challenges. And so the good news is you can always learn from your colleagues and partners around the country. What I would emphasize is the very real impact that equity has around quality. Now, you can't be equitable without quality for all.</p><p>00;04;50;09 - 00;05;12;13<br>Stephen Weber<br>You can't deliver quality without equity. And so to that end, it's the realization of saying that as our ambitions grow and our desire for near-perfect care can't be obtained, when you have whole segments of your population community who are not being fully served. And so digging in and understanding that it's not only a necessity, it's an obligation for us to really figure that out.</p><p>00;05;12;14 - 00;05;24;09<br>Stephen Weber<br>And so for us, it's been both a great challenge and a source of a lot of pride that we've started that journey. But like I think like all of us, we all still feel like we're closer at the beginning than to the end. And a lot of work still ahead.</p><p>00;05;24;11 - 00;05;43;12<br>Jack Lynch<br>So I think those guys really hit a lot of the main topics. So let me answer the first part of the question and just say you've got to have great staff if you're going to apply. So I can't tell you a whole lot about the application process, but I can tell you what you've got to have is one) a commitment to quality saved in equity if you even want to consider looking at the application.</p><p>00;05;43;14 - 00;06;03;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>But I would encourage people to apply and get in the process and learn from it. And so given the greatness that is out there, I was absolutely shocked that we were identified as a recipient because I know how many people are doing great stuff, but like Stephen said, you can't have quality and safety if you don't have equity.</p><p>00;06;03;28 - 00;06;19;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>And unfortunately we don't have buy in across this country yet. That equity is something that I would argue as part of the three legs of the stool. You know, when I went in this business, I didn't get up in the morning and look in the mirror and said, make sure everything is safe and high quality for people that look like me.</p><p>00;06;19;28 - 00;06;39;06<br>Jack Lynch<br>I took on an obligation that said, as Stephen indicated, we have a responsibility, an obligation to the entire community of different people that we serve, and not only the ones we serve, but the ones who aren't coming to us because we don't serve them well. We have an obligation to be there for them, to see them where they are.</p><p>00;06;39;09 - 00;06;56;27<br>Jack Lynch<br>I joined Mainline Health 18 years ago and the board chairman at the time said to me in the interview process, Jack, we want to be the safest hospital in America. And I said to him, Would you be satisfied with being one of the safest? And I said that because I didn't want to be suggesting that we couldn't be.</p><p>00;06;56;29 - 00;07;23;14<br>Jack Lynch<br>But there's nothing proprietary about any of the work we do in safety, quality and equity. So we shamelessly steal and we share everything we do with our competitors and with people across the country. For us getting better and to help them get better. I think part of the other part of the journey is we used to all talk about patient safety and quality and then Ebola hit and we realized, oh my God, we've really got to pay a lot of attention to the safety of our employees.</p><p>00;07;23;14 - 00;07;46;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>And we did back on the needle days when needle sticks were big and back injuries. But Ebola, I think, really struck us. We remove the word patient from our board committee and called it the <br>Safety and Quality Committee. And a number of years ago, we decided to add the word equity. So safety, quality and equity to that mission of the board's oversight.</p><p>00;07;46;27 - 00;08;04;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>And so moving on with suggesting that there are very similar issues, the one that scares me the most is complacency. And we've been on this journey for a very, very long time, and all of us come to work in a hospital and don't think twice about it. Our patients come to work and they're nervous the minute they walk through the door.</p><p>00;08;04;29 - 00;08;13;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>Our staff get used to what it's like to work in a hospital. And I think when we become complacent as an organization, bad stuff happens.</p><p>00;08;13;28 - 00;08;36;04<br>Akin Demehin<br>I think that's an incredibly important point and it really touches on an issue that is so intimately tied to advancing quality, safety and equity, and that is keeping the workforce engaged. I know, Dr. Matthew, you've talked about the efforts underway in Atlantic Health System around addressing workforce challenges. Maybe starting with you, Dr. Webber, and then asking all of you to weigh in here.</p><p>00;08;36;06 - 00;08;43;20<br>Akin Demehin<br>And what are some of the ways you've used to keep your staff engaged, motivated and to fight against the complacency that Jack alluded to?</p><p>00;08;43;25 - 00;09;03;20<br>Stephen Weber<br>Well, it's interesting that occurs to me that as I'm very, very proud to be honored with this recognition, but it puts us in a unique risk for added complacency. Right? I'm always struck that by, I think any objective measure, You know, we're close to achieving the standard that Jack's board believed challenged him with the being among the safest places.</p><p>00;09;03;22 - 00;09;29;05<br>Stephen Weber<br>Yet we always like to remind our teams that it's still not safe. And I think that is essential for people to have a tenacious desire to become even safer. It's great to be the safest hospital, but you need to go even beyond to challenge the whole industry to get to be safer. I think that jumping off from what Dr. Matthew said a few moments ago, what's the engagement with the staff in a very authentic way and to remember that they understand where we have the opportunities.</p><p>00;09;29;05 - 00;09;46;01<br>Stephen Weber<br>Granted, I'm surrounded by great health system leaders at the meeting and in the association, but at the same time to the teams who are on the front line, understand they're seeing every day what's happening and not all of them are going to be black belt certified. Not all of them are going to have PhDs and human factors, but at the same time they understand what the risks are.</p><p>00;09;46;01 - 00;10;01;19<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think one of the key ways of engaging folks is to listen to them and to engage them in the process in a way that's authentic. It's got to go beyond town hall meetings. It's got to be really predicated on the notion saying, we trust you and you're going to help us close that gap. That's always going to exist for all of our organizations.</p><p>00;10;01;22 - 00;10;42;12<br>Suja Mathew<br>We've also really leaned into the need for reporting across the enterprise, encouraging individuals to report it in a culture that provides safety to them, psychological safety to them, to be preoccupied with failure in such a way that, again, like like Dr. Webber said, folks who are on the front lines directly caring for patients and even, you know, in those supportive roles, they see opportunities and we need them to be able to speak up around those near misses, those missed opportunities, because they're going to see things that we couldn't possibly see ourselves.</p><p>00;10;42;15 - 00;11;18;02<br>Suja Mathew<br>So that's been a really important way that we've encouraged and engaged our staff. We also celebrate our team members. You know, our team members are phenomenal and we've been able to create very luckily, an environment that continuously acknowledges the great work that they do every day that may not necessarily be heroic in, as some would say, but there's a heroism in coming in every day performing these tasks regularly, reliably and safely, every single day.</p><p>00;11;18;02 - 00;11;23;10<br>Suja Mathew<br>And we choose many opportunities. We seize those opportunities to bring attention to that.</p><p>00;11;23;13 - 00;11;41;10<br>Jack Lynch<br>You know, again, very similar. You know, one of the things we started to talk about because we were doing a pretty good job, Press Ganey scores were pretty good, and I was convinced that the only way we're going to get ourselves focused to take it to the next level was to think about that patient as us or our family member.</p><p>00;11;41;10 - 00;11;58;29<br>Jack Lynch<br>And I jokingly have said, and not your mother in law, but we all love our mother in laws. But really, what if that is your kid? What if that is your spouse? What if that is your partner? And I don't think that some of the things that we're inherently willing to accept - and I'm thinking mostly about wait times -  we would accept if it was one of our family members.</p><p>00;11;59;01 - 00;12;20;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>The other challenge that we face and maybe other industries do too, but you know, it's not like we're building and getting better and getting better and getting better and it can't slip back. We start over with every single encounter with every single patient. So if you identify the patient correctly in ED, 5 minutes later, if you take the wrong patient to the operating room.</p><p>00;12;20;16 - 00;12;44;17<br>Jack Lynch<br>So it's a really, really complex industry. We really underscore that everybody matters. And I think this is a problem in America today. And depending on where you are and as you'll find from this podcast, I'm not shy about talking about controversy. I don't understand how people can't embrace the commitment to the work that needs to be done to eliminate disparities of care.</p><p>00;12;44;20 - 00;13;22;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>We all need to accept that every one of us deserves a level of care that the white Jack Lynch gets, not because he's the CEO, but that's just because that's the level of care.</p><p>00;13;22;16 - 00;13;41;07<br>Jack Lynch<br>You're going to listen to me. I think we got to be committed to lifelong learning. I think you got to stratify the data.</p><p>00;13;41;07 - 00;14;02;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>I had an aha moment. I asked a colleague that was a COO, black colleague. I said, Do you think your CEO believes there's disparity of care and you're E.D.? He said, "no." I said, Do you believe there's disparity of care in your E.D.? He said, "yes."</p><p>00;14;02;19 - 00;14;29;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>And when it started getting pointed out to us on a daily basis, we did something about it. And I think unless you see the stratification of your safety, quality data by race, ethnicity, gender, gender, orientation, age, zip, code payer, you don't know you have a problem. I loved your comment about celebrate. You know, high performing organizations can get in a rut of only focusing on the errors or the near misses because we want to do better.</p><p>00;14;29;29 - 00;14;49;09<br>Jack Lynch<br>You have to celebrate the ones that are great. And the truth is, I'm not a black male. Whatever. 99.9, something of the percent of people that our people touch do great. But if you're that family member or that patient of that small, small percentage that didn't do so well and it was preventable. It's a crisis.</p><p>00;14;49;11 - 00;15;14;16<br>Akin Demehin<br>Absolutely. I'm going to switch gears to the award itself and the process for applying for it. And I know that there are organizations that are doing a lot of great work on quality patient safety and equity who may be at that point where they want to seek national recognition like the Quest for Quality Award. I would be curious to hear your reflections on what you see as the value of this particular award.</p><p>00;15;14;18 - 00;15;21;12<br>Akin Demehin<br>What made your organization make the decision to apply for it and what did you learn from that process?</p><p>00;15;21;14 - 00;15;42;03<br>Jack Lynch<br>I have a unique situation. I happen to be a sitting board member of the ���������� Association. And so I learned about the fact that we had applied after we had applied, because one) we empower our folks to do what they do. I think our team that focuses on this 24/7 really believed they had a good story to share.</p><p>00;15;42;06 - 00;16;09;15<br>Jack Lynch<br>And I was concerned that as a board member, is that something that's going to get in the way? And unfortunately it doesn't. And I was not involved in any of the site visits or any of the discussions about who was going to get the award. But what I would encourage folks to do is whether you are completely convinced that you're going to be the award winner for us, whether it's Baldrige, whether it's other recognition programs, it's not the award that you get to take home, although it is a pretty cool award.</p><p>00;16;09;18 - 00;16;29;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>It's the process that you go through that you know, is going to result in better care. You know is going to result in more engagement with your staff. You know is going to result in more of your people at your organization, understanding what you're doing and buying into it. So I think the reason to apply is not to win.</p><p>00;16;29;20 - 00;16;33;06<br>Jack Lynch<br>The reason to apply is the process will make you better.</p><p>00;16;33;09 - 00;17;06;18<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think that's a great observation. I think go back each of you talk a little bit about celebrating folks, and a big motivation for our leadership group was we wanted to apply on behalf of the folks in our front line who do the work where we're cognizant as we talk about the meeting previously. But the sense among frontline providers about having gone from this kind of heroic status at the peak of the pandemic to maybe not to becoming abused, although that's another challenge for another podcast, but actually to really celebrate and to acknowledge the work they do every day that it didn't take a pandemic to define these folks as heroes.</p><p>00;17;06;18 - 00;17;26;02<br>Stephen Weber<br>They were heroes before the pandemic turned, and they still are now. The process I think that was really interesting. Because one of the key tenants from our organizational point of view around improvement is the idea of mindfulness and whether it's a physician in her practice or a nurse at the bedside to be thinking about what do I do, does it make sense and can I do it better.</p><p>00;17;26;09 - 00;17;42;21<br>Stephen Weber<br>The pandemic didn't give us a lot of chance for reflection, right? But as we came out of it, the process of the application allowed us to look at the different program, practices, people and reflect on what had made them great. We do root cause analysis, right? But we do root cause analysis around as Jack as I think said, I think said harm events and near misses.</p><p>00;17;42;25 - 00;18;01;05<br>Stephen Weber<br>This was like doing a root cause about what works. And we found ourselves now, since the submission and before we heard the notification of being recognized, of taking that saying, what lessons can we learn from some of those pieces we shared with the site visitors and how can that be applied to our next prominent next challenge? So it's been incredibly impactful.</p><p>00;18;01;05 - 00;18;11;10<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think going back to an earlier topic, it's given us the means to fight that complacency. So I can't say enough about it. I really would encourage anyone listening that it's a great, great exercise to undertake.</p><p>00;18;11;13 - 00;18;35;24<br>Suja Mathew<br>Yeah, our path was a bit different than the others, perhaps. We made a very late decision to go ahead and throw in an application. One of my peers mentioned that this was an opportunity and were like, Yeah, sure, my team can put this together. Sure enough, it was just a few days before the deadline, so we really worked around the clock to put together a good strong application for it.</p><p>00;18;35;29 - 00;19;01;04<br>Suja Mathew<br>It was largely because we had a sense that there was something to report. We have no expectation that we would be recognized. So this is gleeful, right? It's wonderful to be so. But we felt like it was an opportunity for us to again, put on paper, collect our thoughts, collect the individuals around the work that had been done, and really make it an edifying experience.</p><p>00;19;01;04 - 00;19;28;10<br>Suja Mathew<br>And it absolutely has been that. I will tell you that even before we were announced as a recognition winner, we gained so much value from that process. Specifically from the site visit itself. It also brought myself and members of particularly the chair of our Board Quality Committee together to work together in a way that I'm extremely grateful for.</p><p>00;19;28;13 - 00;19;48;17<br>Suja Mathew<br>It was an opportunity for us to gather across the system, bring together leaders showing off their very best that they had to offer is wonderful. And so, don't do it because you necessarily would only do it to win it. Do it because the process itself, it's a win.</p><p>00;19;48;20 - 00;20;11;13<br>Jack Lynch<br>It's almost an audit of what you think is going on. And I think all of us probably in any of these processes of being recognized for or reaching achievement, learn things about their organization that they wouldn't have known. And I don't mean the CEO, but people in the organization learn things about the organization that they thought were one way.</p><p>00;20;11;16 - 00;20;37;12<br>Jack Lynch<br>And it turns out they were another. Or for systems like ours, three places are doing it one way. And as a part of this process, you realized there was another piece of the organization that hadn't adopted the new way of doing it. And so that's another benefit. I think that it really helps you hold yourself accountable because when you put that application in, you better be able to defend a site visit that says, I saw what you told me I was likely going to see.</p><p>00;20;37;14 - 00;21;09;05<br>Suja Mathew<br>And I'll just add one more point. This process of sitting side by side with other honorees and having the conversations that we've had over the last 24 hours, getting to know one another's work again has been hugely beneficial. We all do good work. We do it in different ways and we have different focuses. So it's been an opportunity for Atlantic to learn from the University of Chicago, to learn from Mainline, and that by itself has been enormously valuable.</p><p>00;21;09;08 - 00;21;10;02<br>Stephen Weber<br>Well said.</p><p>00;21;10;05 - 00;21;18;22<br>Akin Demehin<br>All right, I think we are about out of time. Again, let me congratulate your three organizations on your honor this year, and thank you all for listening.</p><p>00;21;18;29 - 00;21;20;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>Thank you. Thanks for giving us the opportunity.</p><p>00;21;21;01 - 00;21;30;17<br>Tom Haederle<br>Applications for the 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize are due September 29. Learn more at A-H-A.org</p></details><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2023/07/Quest-for-Quality-2023.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 The ���������� Association Quest for Quality® Prize Honorees">Download Honoree Booklet</a></div></div></div></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><img class="hidden-xs pull-left" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Q4Q_nohpoe.jpg" data-entity-uuid="1be2847b-ae05-483e-a341-c727c7caa148" data-entity-type="file" alt="Quest for Quality Prize logo" width="370" height="241" s><hr><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/toolkitsmethodology/2024-06-18-quest-quality-prize-digital-engagement-toolkit" target="_blank" title="Click here to download text and images to use on social media and in emails to promote the Quest for Quality Prize.">Quest for Quality Digital Toolkit</a></div><hr><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="https://sponsors.aha.org/HFC-Sponsor-Quest-for-Quality-2023.html" target="_blank" title="Quest for Quality Award Exclusive Sponsorship">Sponsorship Opportunity<em><i class="fa fa-external-link fa-fw"><span class="sr-only"><sup>this is an external link</sup></span></i></em></a></div><hr><div class="panel"><h3>Join Our Mailing List</h3><p>For updates on the AHA Quest for Quality Prize and to be notified when the new application goes live, please join our mailing list.</p> MktoForms2.loadForm("//sponsors.aha.org", "710-ZLL-651", 2976);</div><hr><h4 class="text-align-center">2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner</h4><a href="/system/files/media/file/2024/07/2024-The-American-Hospital-Association-Quest-for-Quality-Prize-Honorees.pdf" target="_blank" title="Click here to see the 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Honorees booklet."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Q4Q-Wellspan-Team-900x600_0.png" data-entity-uuid="2a363b98-a99c-44db-9332-8d3c2470c8d2" data-entity-type="file" alt="2024 Quest for Quality Prize Winner Wellspan Health. Staff from Wellspan Health accept the 2024 Quest for Quality Prize at the 2024 AHA Leadership Summit." width="900" height="599"></a><p>2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Wellspan Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit.</p><p><a href="/award/2019-04-29-aha-quest-quality-prize-committee-members">AHA Quest for Quality Prize Committee Members</a></p><hr><h3><strong> </strong><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees"><span><strong>Past Honorees</strong></span></a></h3><ul><li><a href="/award/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#Quest2023"><strong>2023 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/award/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#Quest2022"><strong>2022 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/system/files/media/file/2021/08/Quest-for-Quality-2021-booklet.pdf"><strong>2021 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2019-winners"><strong>2019 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2018-winners"><strong>2018 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2016-winners"><strong>2016 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2015-winners"><strong>2015 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2014-winners"><strong>2014 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2013-winners"><strong>2013 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2012-winners"><strong>2012 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2011-winners"><strong>2011 Honorees</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees#QFQ-2010-winners"><strong>2010 Honorees</strong></a></li></ul></div></div></div> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:30:00 -0500 Award /award/2017-12-11-quest-quality-prize-honorees <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><div class="row"><h2>Honorees</h2><p>Videos and interviews can be seen on AHA’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/AHAhospitals">YouTube channel</a>.</p><hr> <strong>2021 Quest for Quality Honorees*</strong> </h3> <h3> <strong>2021 Winner: Yale New Haven Health</strong> </h3> <h3> <strong>2021 Finalist: Memorial Healthcare System</strong> </h3> <h3> <strong>2021 Finalist: Yuma Regional Medical Center</strong> </h3> --><h2 id="Quest2023"><span>2023 Honorees</span></h2></div><div class="row"><p>To learn about the 2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize honorees, watch the <a href="#CelebratoryVideo">celebratory video</a>, listen to the <a href="#podcast">honorees podcast</a> or download the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2023/07/Quest-for-Quality-2023.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 The ���������� Association Quest for Quality® Prize Honorees">honoree booklet</a>.</p><p></p><div class="row" id="2023Quest">@media (min-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /*top:-15px;*/ } } @media (max-width:767px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /* top:-50px;*/ margin: 0px 50px; } } .sp_CTA1b_holder{ background-color: #55555511; padding:15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto; border: solid 2px #307FE2; } .sp_CTA1b h3{ color:#002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; } .sp_CTA1b span{ display:block; margin-top:10px } .sp_CTA1b span a{ color:#d50032; } .sp_CTA1b span a:hover{ color:#651d32; } <div class="col-sm-12 sp_CTA1b_holder"><div class="col-xs-12"><div class="col-sm-6"><a href="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" title="View larger image" target="_blank"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg"></a><p>2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit.</p></div><div class="col-sm-6" id="CelebratoryVideo"><div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"></div><p><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2023/07/Quest-for-Quality-2023.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 The ���������� Association Quest for Quality® Prize Honorees">Download Honoree Booklet</a></p></div></div></div></div><p>--></p><div class="row" id="2023Quest">@media (min-width:768px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /*top:-15px;*/ } } @media (max-width:767px){ .sp_CTA1b_holder{ /* top:-50px;*/ margin: 0px 50px; } } .sp_CTA1b_holder{ background-color: #55555511; padding:15px 0; position: relative; overflow: auto; border: solid 2px #307FE2; } .sp_CTA1b h3{ color:#002855; font-size: 1.4em; margin: 0px; } .sp_CTA1b span{ display:block; margin-top:10px } .sp_CTA1b span a{ color:#d50032; } .sp_CTA1b span a:hover{ color:#651d32; } <div class="col-sm-12 sp_CTA1b_holder"><div class="col-xs-12"><div class="col-sm-10 col-md-offset-1"><a href="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" target="_blank" title="View larger image"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" width="1280" height="854"></a><p>2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit.</p></div><div class="col-sm-10 col-md-offset-1 spacer" id="CelebratoryVideo"><div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"></div></div><hr><p></p><div><a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth" target="_blank" title="Advancing Health">Advancing Health</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/advancinghealth/quest-for-quality-honorees-on-challenges-and-the-impact-of-equity-on-care" target="_blank" title="Quest for Quality Honorees on Challenges and the Impact of Equity on Care">Quest for Quality Honorees on Challenges and the Impact of Equity on Care</a></div><p> </p><details class="transcript"><h2 title="Click here to open/close the transcript."><span>View Transcript</span><br> </h2><p>00;00;01;02 - 00;00;44;25<br>Tom Haederle<br>The famous humanitarian philosopher and physician, Dr. Albert Schweitzer, said: "A good example has twice the value of good advice." In health care's never ending journey towards better service for patients, good examples are especially valuable as teaching tools that demonstrate what is possible. Stick with us today as this podcast highlights three health organizations that are leading by example as winners of the ���������� Association's 2023 Quest for Quality Prize.</p><p>00;00;44;27 - 00;01;12;13<br>Tom Haederle<br>Welcome to Advancing Health, a podcast from the ���������� Association. I'm Tom Haederle with AHA Communications, the AHA Quest for Quality Prize honors hospitals and health systems committed to leadership and innovation in improving quality and advancing health. The 2023 winner was Mainline Health in Pennsylvania, Atlantic Health System in New Jersey and University of Chicago Medicine were finalists with Citation of Merit Awards.</p><p>00;01;12;16 - 00;01;28;05<br>Tom Haederle<br>This year's three honorees were recognized at the AHA Leadership Summit in Seattle, and during that meeting, they sat down with us to talk about their achievements, reflect on the challenges they faced, and assess the real impact of equity on quality of care. Let's join them.</p><p>00;01;28;08 - 00;01;52;12<br>Akin Demehin<br>Welcome to the AHA Advancing Health Podcast. My name is Akin Demehin and I'm senior director for Quality in Patient Safety Policy at the ���������� Association. And I have the honor of sitting down with the three organizations that won The Quest for Quality Awards this year. First, let me ask our panelists to go around and introduce themselves, starting with Jack Lynch.</p><p>00;01;52;14 - 00;01;56;18<br>Jack Lynch<br>My name is Jack Lynch, president and CEO at Mainline Health in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.</p><p>00;01;56;25 - 00;02;01;27<br>Stephen Weber<br>My name is Steven Weber, the health system CMO and executive vice president of the University of Chicago Medicine.</p><p>00;02;02;03 - 00;02;09;03<br>Suja Mathew<br>Hi Akin. I'm Suja Mathew. I'm executive vice president and chief clinical officer of Atlantic Health System.</p><p>00;02;09;05 - 00;02;30;04<br>Akin Demehin<br>Thank you. And first of all, congratulations on this award. It is truly a testament to your own organization's hard work and really an exemplar for the whole hospital field. So I want to spend some time doing this morning is talking to you about the process of applying for the award specifically, but starting more generally around your quality journey.</p><p>00;02;30;04 - 00;02;40;11<br>Akin Demehin<br>And I would really be interested if you all would reflect on one of the most challenging aspects of your quality journey in recent years and how you worked to overcome it.</p><p>00;02;40;14 - 00;03;06;01<br>Suja Mathew<br>You know, Akin, I'll tell you that one of our most challenging aspects of our health care quality journey is one that we're going through right now. So if you'd allow me to talk about what we're doing about it and how we're addressing it while we're in the middle of it, and it's very closely tied in to what we're all experiencing around the country is the sequella of the pandemic.</p><p>00;03;06;04 - 00;03;47;13<br>Suja Mathew<br>So specifically, it's our workforce. And there's been a lot of conversation, of course, about the quantity of individuals in our workforce. What we're addressing and challenged by is what I'll just term as the quality, just to compare it to quantity, the quality of the workforce. Again, more specifically, we are seeing a young workforce enter our health system and into our hospitals, especially around the clinical fields that haven't had the same type of preparation during their education and training that historically those individuals have.</p><p>00;03;47;13 - 00;04;32;27<br>Suja Mathew<br>So we're seeing young doctors, young nurses, young pharmacists that trained during the pandemic, and that has meant that we have needed to come alongside those individuals and support them, frankly, in a way that wasn't necessary, certainly not enmasse in the past. So we have had to relook at our orientation programs, our preceptorship programs, our general oversight and support that we provide, again, for all of those clinical team members to ensure that what they may not have seen and or learned during their training, we're able to provide them elbow support and guide them through during their early years of working with us.</p><p>00;04;32;29 - 00;04;50;09<br>Stephen Weber<br>I might add on to that I suspect all of us will overlap in terms of some of those experiences and challenges. And so the good news is you can always learn from your colleagues and partners around the country. What I would emphasize is the very real impact that equity has around quality. Now, you can't be equitable without quality for all.</p><p>00;04;50;09 - 00;05;12;13<br>Stephen Weber<br>You can't deliver quality without equity. And so to that end, it's the realization of saying that as our ambitions grow and our desire for near-perfect care can't be obtained, when you have whole segments of your population community who are not being fully served. And so digging in and understanding that it's not only a necessity, it's an obligation for us to really figure that out.</p><p>00;05;12;14 - 00;05;24;09<br>Stephen Weber<br>And so for us, it's been both a great challenge and a source of a lot of pride that we've started that journey. But like I think like all of us, we all still feel like we're closer at the beginning than to the end. And a lot of work still ahead.</p><p>00;05;24;11 - 00;05;43;12<br>Jack Lynch<br>So I think those guys really hit a lot of the main topics. So let me answer the first part of the question and just say you've got to have great staff if you're going to apply. So I can't tell you a whole lot about the application process, but I can tell you what you've got to have is one) a commitment to quality saved in equity if you even want to consider looking at the application.</p><p>00;05;43;14 - 00;06;03;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>But I would encourage people to apply and get in the process and learn from it. And so given the greatness that is out there, I was absolutely shocked that we were identified as a recipient because I know how many people are doing great stuff, but like Stephen said, you can't have quality and safety if you don't have equity.</p><p>00;06;03;28 - 00;06;19;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>And unfortunately we don't have buy in across this country yet. That equity is something that I would argue as part of the three legs of the stool. You know, when I went in this business, I didn't get up in the morning and look in the mirror and said, make sure everything is safe and high quality for people that look like me.</p><p>00;06;19;28 - 00;06;39;06<br>Jack Lynch<br>I took on an obligation that said, as Stephen indicated, we have a responsibility, an obligation to the entire community of different people that we serve, and not only the ones we serve, but the ones who aren't coming to us because we don't serve them well. We have an obligation to be there for them, to see them where they are.</p><p>00;06;39;09 - 00;06;56;27<br>Jack Lynch<br>I joined Mainline Health 18 years ago and the board chairman at the time said to me in the interview process, Jack, we want to be the safest hospital in America. And I said to him, Would you be satisfied with being one of the safest? And I said that because I didn't want to be suggesting that we couldn't be.</p><p>00;06;56;29 - 00;07;23;14<br>Jack Lynch<br>But there's nothing proprietary about any of the work we do in safety, quality and equity. So we shamelessly steal and we share everything we do with our competitors and with people across the country. For us getting better and to help them get better. I think part of the other part of the journey is we used to all talk about patient safety and quality and then Ebola hit and we realized, oh my God, we've really got to pay a lot of attention to the safety of our employees.</p><p>00;07;23;14 - 00;07;46;25<br>Jack Lynch<br>And we did back on the needle days when needle sticks were big and back injuries. But Ebola, I think, really struck us. We remove the word patient from our board committee and called it the <br>Safety and Quality Committee. And a number of years ago, we decided to add the word equity. So safety, quality and equity to that mission of the board's oversight.</p><p>00;07;46;27 - 00;08;04;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>And so moving on with suggesting that there are very similar issues, the one that scares me the most is complacency. And we've been on this journey for a very, very long time, and all of us come to work in a hospital and don't think twice about it. Our patients come to work and they're nervous the minute they walk through the door.</p><p>00;08;04;29 - 00;08;13;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>Our staff get used to what it's like to work in a hospital. And I think when we become complacent as an organization, bad stuff happens.</p><p>00;08;13;28 - 00;08;36;04<br>Akin Demehin<br>I think that's an incredibly important point and it really touches on an issue that is so intimately tied to advancing quality, safety and equity, and that is keeping the workforce engaged. I know, Dr. Matthew, you've talked about the efforts underway in Atlantic Health System around addressing workforce challenges. Maybe starting with you, Dr. Webber, and then asking all of you to weigh in here.</p><p>00;08;36;06 - 00;08;43;20<br>Akin Demehin<br>And what are some of the ways you've used to keep your staff engaged, motivated and to fight against the complacency that Jack alluded to?</p><p>00;08;43;25 - 00;09;03;20<br>Stephen Weber<br>Well, it's interesting that occurs to me that as I'm very, very proud to be honored with this recognition, but it puts us in a unique risk for added complacency. Right? I'm always struck that by, I think any objective measure, You know, we're close to achieving the standard that Jack's board believed challenged him with the being among the safest places.</p><p>00;09;03;22 - 00;09;29;05<br>Stephen Weber<br>Yet we always like to remind our teams that it's still not safe. And I think that is essential for people to have a tenacious desire to become even safer. It's great to be the safest hospital, but you need to go even beyond to challenge the whole industry to get to be safer. I think that jumping off from what Dr. Matthew said a few moments ago, what's the engagement with the staff in a very authentic way and to remember that they understand where we have the opportunities.</p><p>00;09;29;05 - 00;09;46;01<br>Stephen Weber<br>Granted, I'm surrounded by great health system leaders at the meeting and in the association, but at the same time to the teams who are on the front line, understand they're seeing every day what's happening and not all of them are going to be black belt certified. Not all of them are going to have PhDs and human factors, but at the same time they understand what the risks are.</p><p>00;09;46;01 - 00;10;01;19<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think one of the key ways of engaging folks is to listen to them and to engage them in the process in a way that's authentic. It's got to go beyond town hall meetings. It's got to be really predicated on the notion saying, we trust you and you're going to help us close that gap. That's always going to exist for all of our organizations.</p><p>00;10;01;22 - 00;10;42;12<br>Suja Mathew<br>We've also really leaned into the need for reporting across the enterprise, encouraging individuals to report it in a culture that provides safety to them, psychological safety to them, to be preoccupied with failure in such a way that, again, like like Dr. Webber said, folks who are on the front lines directly caring for patients and even, you know, in those supportive roles, they see opportunities and we need them to be able to speak up around those near misses, those missed opportunities, because they're going to see things that we couldn't possibly see ourselves.</p><p>00;10;42;15 - 00;11;18;02<br>Suja Mathew<br>So that's been a really important way that we've encouraged and engaged our staff. We also celebrate our team members. You know, our team members are phenomenal and we've been able to create very luckily, an environment that continuously acknowledges the great work that they do every day that may not necessarily be heroic in, as some would say, but there's a heroism in coming in every day performing these tasks regularly, reliably and safely, every single day.</p><p>00;11;18;02 - 00;11;23;10<br>Suja Mathew<br>And we choose many opportunities. We seize those opportunities to bring attention to that.</p><p>00;11;23;13 - 00;11;41;10<br>Jack Lynch<br>You know, again, very similar. You know, one of the things we started to talk about because we were doing a pretty good job, Press Ganey scores were pretty good, and I was convinced that the only way we're going to get ourselves focused to take it to the next level was to think about that patient as us or our family member.</p><p>00;11;41;10 - 00;11;58;29<br>Jack Lynch<br>And I jokingly have said, and not your mother in law, but we all love our mother in laws. But really, what if that is your kid? What if that is your spouse? What if that is your partner? And I don't think that some of the things that we're inherently willing to accept - and I'm thinking mostly about wait times -  we would accept if it was one of our family members.</p><p>00;11;59;01 - 00;12;20;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>The other challenge that we face and maybe other industries do too, but you know, it's not like we're building and getting better and getting better and getting better and it can't slip back. We start over with every single encounter with every single patient. So if you identify the patient correctly in ED, 5 minutes later, if you take the wrong patient to the operating room.</p><p>00;12;20;16 - 00;12;44;17<br>Jack Lynch<br>So it's a really, really complex industry. We really underscore that everybody matters. And I think this is a problem in America today. And depending on where you are and as you'll find from this podcast, I'm not shy about talking about controversy. I don't understand how people can't embrace the commitment to the work that needs to be done to eliminate disparities of care.</p><p>00;12;44;20 - 00;13;22;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>We all need to accept that every one of us deserves a level of care that the white Jack Lynch gets, not because he's the CEO, but that's just because that's the level of care.</p><p>00;13;22;16 - 00;13;41;07<br>Jack Lynch<br>You're going to listen to me. I think we got to be committed to lifelong learning. I think you got to stratify the data.</p><p>00;13;41;07 - 00;14;02;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>I had an aha moment. I asked a colleague that was a COO, black colleague. I said, Do you think your CEO believes there's disparity of care and you're E.D.? He said, "no." I said, Do you believe there's disparity of care in your E.D.? He said, "yes."</p><p>00;14;02;19 - 00;14;29;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>And when it started getting pointed out to us on a daily basis, we did something about it. And I think unless you see the stratification of your safety, quality data by race, ethnicity, gender, gender, orientation, age, zip, code payer, you don't know you have a problem. I loved your comment about celebrate. You know, high performing organizations can get in a rut of only focusing on the errors or the near misses because we want to do better.</p><p>00;14;29;29 - 00;14;49;09<br>Jack Lynch<br>You have to celebrate the ones that are great. And the truth is, I'm not a black male. Whatever. 99.9, something of the percent of people that our people touch do great. But if you're that family member or that patient of that small, small percentage that didn't do so well and it was preventable. It's a crisis.</p><p>00;14;49;11 - 00;15;14;16<br>Akin Demehin<br>Absolutely. I'm going to switch gears to the award itself and the process for applying for it. And I know that there are organizations that are doing a lot of great work on quality patient safety and equity who may be at that point where they want to seek national recognition like the Quest for Quality Award. I would be curious to hear your reflections on what you see as the value of this particular award.</p><p>00;15;14;18 - 00;15;21;12<br>Akin Demehin<br>What made your organization make the decision to apply for it and what did you learn from that process?</p><p>00;15;21;14 - 00;15;42;03<br>Jack Lynch<br>I have a unique situation. I happen to be a sitting board member of the ���������� Association. And so I learned about the fact that we had applied after we had applied, because one) we empower our folks to do what they do. I think our team that focuses on this 24/7 really believed they had a good story to share.</p><p>00;15;42;06 - 00;16;09;15<br>Jack Lynch<br>And I was concerned that as a board member, is that something that's going to get in the way? And unfortunately it doesn't. And I was not involved in any of the site visits or any of the discussions about who was going to get the award. But what I would encourage folks to do is whether you are completely convinced that you're going to be the award winner for us, whether it's Baldrige, whether it's other recognition programs, it's not the award that you get to take home, although it is a pretty cool award.</p><p>00;16;09;18 - 00;16;29;16<br>Jack Lynch<br>It's the process that you go through that you know, is going to result in better care. You know is going to result in more engagement with your staff. You know is going to result in more of your people at your organization, understanding what you're doing and buying into it. So I think the reason to apply is not to win.</p><p>00;16;29;20 - 00;16;33;06<br>Jack Lynch<br>The reason to apply is the process will make you better.</p><p>00;16;33;09 - 00;17;06;18<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think that's a great observation. I think go back each of you talk a little bit about celebrating folks, and a big motivation for our leadership group was we wanted to apply on behalf of the folks in our front line who do the work where we're cognizant as we talk about the meeting previously. But the sense among frontline providers about having gone from this kind of heroic status at the peak of the pandemic to maybe not to becoming abused, although that's another challenge for another podcast, but actually to really celebrate and to acknowledge the work they do every day that it didn't take a pandemic to define these folks as heroes.</p><p>00;17;06;18 - 00;17;26;02<br>Stephen Weber<br>They were heroes before the pandemic turned, and they still are now. The process I think that was really interesting. Because one of the key tenants from our organizational point of view around improvement is the idea of mindfulness and whether it's a physician in her practice or a nurse at the bedside to be thinking about what do I do, does it make sense and can I do it better.</p><p>00;17;26;09 - 00;17;42;21<br>Stephen Weber<br>The pandemic didn't give us a lot of chance for reflection, right? But as we came out of it, the process of the application allowed us to look at the different program, practices, people and reflect on what had made them great. We do root cause analysis, right? But we do root cause analysis around as Jack as I think said, I think said harm events and near misses.</p><p>00;17;42;25 - 00;18;01;05<br>Stephen Weber<br>This was like doing a root cause about what works. And we found ourselves now, since the submission and before we heard the notification of being recognized, of taking that saying, what lessons can we learn from some of those pieces we shared with the site visitors and how can that be applied to our next prominent next challenge? So it's been incredibly impactful.</p><p>00;18;01;05 - 00;18;11;10<br>Stephen Weber<br>And I think going back to an earlier topic, it's given us the means to fight that complacency. So I can't say enough about it. I really would encourage anyone listening that it's a great, great exercise to undertake.</p><p>00;18;11;13 - 00;18;35;24<br>Suja Mathew<br>Yeah, our path was a bit different than the others, perhaps. We made a very late decision to go ahead and throw in an application. One of my peers mentioned that this was an opportunity and were like, Yeah, sure, my team can put this together. Sure enough, it was just a few days before the deadline, so we really worked around the clock to put together a good strong application for it.</p><p>00;18;35;29 - 00;19;01;04<br>Suja Mathew<br>It was largely because we had a sense that there was something to report. We have no expectation that we would be recognized. So this is gleeful, right? It's wonderful to be so. But we felt like it was an opportunity for us to again, put on paper, collect our thoughts, collect the individuals around the work that had been done, and really make it an edifying experience.</p><p>00;19;01;04 - 00;19;28;10<br>Suja Mathew<br>And it absolutely has been that. I will tell you that even before we were announced as a recognition winner, we gained so much value from that process. Specifically from the site visit itself. It also brought myself and members of particularly the chair of our Board Quality Committee together to work together in a way that I'm extremely grateful for.</p><p>00;19;28;13 - 00;19;48;17<br>Suja Mathew<br>It was an opportunity for us to gather across the system, bring together leaders showing off their very best that they had to offer is wonderful. And so, don't do it because you necessarily would only do it to win it. Do it because the process itself, it's a win.</p><p>00;19;48;20 - 00;20;11;13<br>Jack Lynch<br>It's almost an audit of what you think is going on. And I think all of us probably in any of these processes of being recognized for or reaching achievement, learn things about their organization that they wouldn't have known. And I don't mean the CEO, but people in the organization learn things about the organization that they thought were one way.</p><p>00;20;11;16 - 00;20;37;12<br>Jack Lynch<br>And it turns out they were another. Or for systems like ours, three places are doing it one way. And as a part of this process, you realized there was another piece of the organization that hadn't adopted the new way of doing it. And so that's another benefit. I think that it really helps you hold yourself accountable because when you put that application in, you better be able to defend a site visit that says, I saw what you told me I was likely going to see.</p><p>00;20;37;14 - 00;21;09;05<br>Suja Mathew<br>And I'll just add one more point. This process of sitting side by side with other honorees and having the conversations that we've had over the last 24 hours, getting to know one another's work again has been hugely beneficial. We all do good work. We do it in different ways and we have different focuses. So it's been an opportunity for Atlantic to learn from the University of Chicago, to learn from Mainline, and that by itself has been enormously valuable.</p><p>00;21;09;08 - 00;21;10;02<br>Stephen Weber<br>Well said.</p><p>00;21;10;05 - 00;21;18;22<br>Akin Demehin<br>All right, I think we are about out of time. Again, let me congratulate your three organizations on your honor this year, and thank you all for listening.</p><p>00;21;18;29 - 00;21;20;26<br>Jack Lynch<br>Thank you. Thanks for giving us the opportunity.</p><p>00;21;21;01 - 00;21;30;17<br>Tom Haederle<br>Applications for the 2024 AHA Quest for Quality Prize are due September 29. Learn more at A-H-A.org</p></details><div class="external-link spacer"><a class="btn btn-wide btn-primary" href="/system/files/media/file/2023/07/Quest-for-Quality-2023.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 The ���������� Association Quest for Quality® Prize Honorees">Download Honoree Booklet</a></div></div></div></div><hr><h4 id="Quest2022">2022 Honorees</h4><p>The 2022 AHA Quest for Quality Prize winner is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1PEq2Z0V6o" target="_blank" title="AHA Quest for Quality Prize 2022 Winner — University Hospitals Health System, Cleveland">University Hospitals, Cleveland</a>.</p><p>The 2022 finalists are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tXqQcIG_x0&t=4s" target="_blank" title="YouTube: AHA Quest for Quality Prize 2022 Finalist — Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans">Ochsner Health</a>, New Orleans, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TVjj5Xj9aI" target="_blank" title="Youtube: AHA Quest for Quality Prize 2022 Finalist — WellSpan Health, York, Pa.">WellSpan Health</a>, York, Pa.</p><p>A Citation of Merit is awarded to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VwgLxx5WMg&t=8s" target="_blank" title="YouTube:" aha quest for quality prize citation of university>NorthShore University Health System</a>, Evanston, Ill.</p><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/08/Q4Q_2022_sm.pdf" target="_blank">Read stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCN32wG8Cl8&t=5s" target="_blank" title="YouTube: 2022 AHA Quest for Quality Prize">Watch the 2022 Quest for Quality Prize Honorees Video.</a></p><hr><h4>2021 Honorees</h4><p>The 2021 AHA Quest for Quality Prize winner is Yale New Haven Health</p><p>The 2021 Finalist: Memorial Healthcare System, Hollywood, FL</p><p>The 2021 Finalist: Yuma Regional Medical Center, Arizona</p><p>Please <a href="/news/headline/2021-07-26-aha-names-2021-quest-quality-prize-winner-finalists" target="_blank">click here for stories</a> on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><p>Please <a href="https://youtu.be/P5ZgcAR1LnE" target="_blank">click here</a> to watch the 2021 Quest for Quality Prize Honorees Video.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2019-winners">2019 Honorees</h4><p>The 2019 AHA Quest for Quality Prize winner is Carolinas Rehabilitation, Charlotte, N.C.</p><p>The 2019 finalist is Mission Health, Asheville, N.C.</p><p>A Citation of Merit is awarded to Richmond University Medical Center, Staten Island, N.Y.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/media/file/2019/09/Q4Q_2019.pdf">click here for stories</a> on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><p>Please <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aitR1o7gKc&list=PLlx6E76Mr_sbSh1vWbO54Y2zVWU3hTIu4&index=5&t=3s&ab_channel=AmericanHospitalAssociation">click here to watch Carolinas Rehabilitation</a>’s Quest for Quality—Lessons Learned from the 2019 Quest for Quality Winner.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2018-winners">2018 Honorees</h4><p>The 2018 AHA Quest for Quality Prize winner is Northwell Health, New Hyde Park, N.Y.</p><p>The 2018 finalists are Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, Md., and Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee.</p><p>A Citation of Merit is awarded to Atrium Health, Charlotte, N.C., and Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital, St. Louis Park, Minn.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-07/2018-quest-for-quality-booklet.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><p>Please <a href="https://youtu.be/4YmXMPkY2bI" target="_blank">click here</a> to watch Northwell Health’s Quest for Quality—Lessons Learned from the 2018 Quest for Quality Winner.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2016-winners">2016 Honorees</h4><p>The 2016 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, Illinois.</p><p>The 2016 finalist is Memorial Hermann Greater Heights, Houston, Texas.</p><p>A Citation of Merit is awarded to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.</p><p>Please <a href="/content/16/2016questforqualitywinners.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2015-winners">2015 Honorees</h4><p>The 2015 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, Colorado.</p><p>The 2015 finalist is Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina.</p><p>Citation of Merits are awarded to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio; and Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, Indiana.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-06/2015q4qwinners.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2014-winners">2014 Honorees</h4><p>The 2014 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is VCU Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia.</p><p>The 2014 finalist is Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast, Concord, North Carolina.</p><p>Citation of Merits are awarded to Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina; Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana; and University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, Wisconsin.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-06/14questforqualitywinners.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2013-winners">2013 Honorees</h4><p>The 2013 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.</p><p>The 2013 finalist is Franklin Woods Community Hospital, Johnson City, Tennessee.</p><p>Citation of Merits are awarded to St. Mary’s Hospital, Centralia, Illinois and Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, North Carolina.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-06/13quest4quality.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees and <a href="/press-releases/2018-06-18-quest-quality-four-hospitals-honored-commitment-quality">here</a> for the July 22 press release.</p><p>Please <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RR6TLkkf1Y&feature=c4-overview&list=UU4D02WtzbawS64WfQ3UrZ6g">watch</a> the 2013 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize video for more information on the honorees.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2012-winners">2012 Honorees</h4><p>The 2012 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio.</p><p>Finalists are Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, New York and University of North Carolina Hospitals, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. A Citation of Merit is awarded to Meriter Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-07/12q4qwinners.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees and <a href="/presscenter/pressrel/2012/120719-pr-quest4quality.pdf">here</a> for the July 19 press release.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2011-winners">2011 Honorees</h4><p>2011 is the tenth year for the Quest for Quality Prize. The 2011 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is Memorial Regional Hospital, Hollywood, Florida.</p><p>Finalists are AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey and Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. Citations of Merit are awarded to Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance, Torrance, California and Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.</p><p>Please <a href="/system/files/2018-07/2011-quest4quality.pdf">click here</a> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees and updates on the first nine Quest for Quality winners.</p><p>More information on Memorial Regional Hospital and its quality journey is on the <a href="http://www.memorialregional.com/">hospital's website</a>.</p><hr><h4 id="QFQ-2010-winners">2010 Honorees</h4><p><span lang="EN">The 2010 AHA-McKesson Quest for Quality Prize winner is</span> <span>McLeod Regional Medical Center, Florence, South Carolina.</span></p><p><span lang="EN">The finalist is Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan. A Citation of Merit is awarded to Queens Hospital Center, Jamaica, New York.</span></p><p><span lang="EN">Please </span><a href="/system/files/2018-07/2010Q4Qbk.pdf"><span lang="EN">click here</span></a><span lang="EN"> for stories on the Quest for Quality honorees.</span></p><hr><p class="text-align-center"><strong>Booklets on the award recipients are available from 312/422-2700</strong><br><strong>or by e-mailing</strong> <a href="mailto:questforquality@aha.org"><strong>questforquality@aha.org</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/about/awards/quest-for-quality"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Q4Q_nohpoe_0.jpg" data-entity-uuid="2261a648-6b67-494b-8cb9-78214f0575a2" data-entity-type="file" alt="Quest for Quality Prize logo" width="100%" height="100%" loading="lazy"></a></p><hr><h2>2023 Prize Winner</h2><a href="/about/awards/quest-for-quality#2023Quest" title="2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner"><img src="/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023-quest-for-quality-prize-winners.jpg" width="1280" height="854"></a><p>2023 AHA Quest for Quality Prize Winner Main Line Health receiving their award at the AHA Leadership Summit.</p></div></div></div> Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:29:00 -0500 Award /about/awards/rural-hospital-leadership-award <div class="container row"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img class="pull-left" src="/sites/default/files/2022-02/rural-hospital-leadership-team-award-logo-recent.png" data-entity-type="file" alt="Rural Hospital Team Award" width="1500" height="1358"></p><p>The application period for the 2024 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award is closed. Honorees will be notified in December and recognized at the <a href="https://ruralconference.aha.org/" target="_blank" title="38th Annual Rural Health Care Leadership Conference homepage">38th Annual Rural Health Care Leadership Conference</a>, Feb. 23-26, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas. Please join our mailing list to be notified when next year’s application becomes available.</p><hr><div class="panel module-typeC"><div class="panel-heading"><p><a href="/award/2025-03-17-2024-rural-hospital-leadership-team-award-winner-and-finalists" target="_blank" title="2024 Award Winner and Finalist"><strong>2024 Award Winner and Finalists</strong></a></p><p><a href="/2006-01-06-rural-hospital-leadership-award-winners"><strong>Past Winners of the Award</strong></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="panel"><h3><strong>Join Our Mailing List</strong></h3><p><strong>For updates on the Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award and to be notified when the new application goes live, please join our mailing list.</strong></p> MktoForms2.loadForm("//sponsors.aha.org", "710-ZLL-651", 2981);</div></div></div></div> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 11:25:00 -0500 Award /award/2023-03-22-about-foster-g-mcgaw <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Foster-G-McGaw-art-scan.png" data-entity-uuid="494a19d1-209f-4c51-b92c-7975ec6cffd0" data-entity-type="file" alt="Foster G. McGaw" width="96" height="154" class="align-left">Foster G. McGaw was born on March 7, 1897, the son of Reverend Francis Alexander McGaw and Alice S. (Millar) McGaw. He attended the Northwestern University School of Commerce.</p><p>In 1922, Mr. McGaw founded the ���������� Supply Corporation. By establishing strict ethical guidelines for selling to hospitals and insisting on a high level of quality and service, Mr. McGaw shaped the hospital supply industry and helped create the standards under which it operates today. In 1985, ���������� Supply Corporation merged with Baxter International, Inc.</p><p>Mr. McGaw received numerous awards, citations, and honorary degrees. He is renowned for his philanthropic activities, including major gifts to establish the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and the McGaw Hospital of Loyola University Medical Center, both in the Chicago area, and the James D. Vail III Nursing Program at Queens College in Charlotte, NC.</p><p>Mr. McGaw passed away April 16, 1986.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><div class="foster-nav panel"><h4><a href="/about/awards/foster-g-mcgaw-prize" tabindex="-1">Foster G. McGaw Prize</a></h4><ul><li><a href="/foster-g-mcgaw-prize-call-entries-brochure" tabindex="-1"><strong>Call for Entries and Application</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-foster-g-mcgaw-prize-winners" tabindex="-1"><strong>Recent Winners</strong></a></li><li><a href="/2017-12-11-foster-g-mcgaw-1986-1999-prize-winners"><strong>An Archive of Past Winners from 1986–2014</strong></a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Wed, 22 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0500 Award /award/2022-11-23-2022-rural-hospital-leadership-award-winner-and-finalists <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-8"> <p>West Tennessee Bolivar General Hospital, Bolivar, TN and Hardeman County made healthy lifestyles a priority and made remarkable gains in reducing the obesity rate in Hardeman County especially for students. They established a food distribution center and distributed food, encouraged healthy food choices, and promoted exercise while working with BCBS to build a playground. These results were led by Ruby Kirby, CEO and achieved through organization of varied community resources focused on a common goal.</p> <p>Finalists include:</p> <ul> <li>Lesley Ogden, M.D., CEO, Samaritan North Lincoln and Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospitals, Lincoln County, Oregon and the team’s efforts to improve patient access, behavioral and population and health, and workforce initiatives with new rural residency and expanded nursing and allied health training programs.<br />  </li> <li>Don Caruso, M.D., CEO and president, Cheshire Medical Center, Keene, NH and his team who through The Doorway health services led efforts in working with the community to reduce overdose deaths, expand access, and improve community behavioral health and wellness that produced excellent results.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-md-4"> <div class="panel module-typeC"> <div class="panel-heading"> <p><a href="/about/awards/rural-hospital-leadership-award">About the 2023 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award</a></p> <p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2023/06/Rural-Hospital-Leadership-Team-Award-2023-Application.pdf" target="_blank" title="2023 Rural Hospital Leadership Team Award Application PDF">2023 Award Application</a></p> <p><a href="/2006-01-06-rural-hospital-leadership-award-winners">Past Winners of the Award</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Wed, 23 Nov 2022 01:31:20 -0600 Award /award/2017-12-11-foster-g-mcgaw-prize-winners-and-finalists <div class="container row"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-12"><table class="table"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2022</strong><a href="#fn2022"><strong>*</strong></a><strong> Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/04/2022-Foster-McGaw-Prize-Honorees.pdf#page=4">Texas Health Resources </a><strong>Arlington, Texas</strong></p><p><a href="/press-releases/2022-04-19-texas-health-resources-awarded-2022-foster-g-mcgaw-prize">Read</a> the press release. You can also read more about this year’s winner and finalists in the <a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/04/2022-Foster-McGaw-Prize-Honorees.pdf">Foster G. McGaw Prize Honorees brochure</a>.</p><p></p><p id="fn2022">*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were no prize honorees in 2020 and 2021.</p></td><td valign="top"><h4><strong>2022 Finalists:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/04/2022-Foster-McGaw-Prize-Honorees.pdf#page=6">Adena Health System</a>, Chillicothe, Ohio</p><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/04/2022-Foster-McGaw-Prize-Honorees.pdf#page=7">MUSC Health, Charleston</a>, South Carolina</p><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2022/04/2022-Foster-McGaw-Prize-Honorees.pdf#page=8">UMass Memorial Medical Center</a>, Worcester, Mass.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2019 Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/03/Foster%20G%20McGaw%20Press%20Release%202020%20Final.pdf">ProMedica </a><strong>Toledo, OH</strong></p><p><a href="/system/files/media/file/2020/03/Foster%20G%20McGaw%20Press%20Release%202020%20Final.pdf">Read</a> the press release.</p><p></p></td><td valign="top"><h4><strong>2019 Finalists:</strong></h4><p>Freeman Health System, Joplin, Mo.</p><p>Texas Health Resources, Arlington, Texas</p><p>UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, Mass</p><hr><h4 class="text-align-center">2019 Foster G. McGaw Prize: An In-depth Look</h4><p></p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2018 Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/press-releases/2019-01-30-penn-medicine-lancaster-general-health-awarded-2018-foster-g-mcgaw-prize">Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health</a>, <strong>Lancaster, PA</strong></p><p><a href="/press-releases/2019-01-30-penn-medicine-lancaster-general-health-awarded-2018-foster-g-mcgaw-prize">Read</a> the press release.</p><p></p></td><td valign="top"><h4><strong>2018 Finalists:</strong></h4><p>Memorial Hermann Health System  Houston, TX</p><p>Saint Francis Memorial Hospital  San Francisco, CA</p><p>Tanner Health System  Carrollton, GA</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2017 Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/press-releases/2018-01-23-yale-new-haven-hospital-recognized-excellence-community-service-2017"><strong>Yale New Haven Hospital</strong></a><strong>, New Haven, CT</strong></p><p><a href="/press-releases/2018-01-23-yale-new-haven-hospital-recognized-excellence-community-service-2017">Read</a> the press release.</p><p></p></td><td valign="top"><h4><strong>2017 Finalists:</strong></h4><p>Providence Health & Services in Portland, OR</p><p>Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, OR</p><p>UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, MA</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2016 Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/150115-pr-spectrum.pdf"><strong>Spectrum Health</strong></a><strong>, Grand Rapids, MI</strong></p><p><a href="/presscenter/pressrel/2017/011817-pr-foster-mcgaw.shtml">Read</a><strong> for the press release.</strong></p><p></p></td><td valign="top"><h4><strong>2016 Finalists:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/170118fostermcgaw-pressrel-childrenhealth.pdf">Children's Health System of Texas</a><br>Dallas, TX</p><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/170118fostermcgaw-pressrel-promedica.pdf">ProMedica</a><br>Toledo, OH</p><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/170117fostermcgaw-pressrel-whitememorial.pdf">White Memorial Medical Center</a><br>Los Angeles, CA</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2015 Winner:</strong></h4><p><a href="/content/16/16hhnfostermcgaw.pdf"><strong>Massachusetts General Hospital</strong></a><strong>, Boston, MA</strong></p><p><a href="/presscenter/pressrel/2016/2015-MassGenFINAL.pdf"><strong>Click here</strong></a><strong> for the press release.</strong></p><p><a href="https://youtu.be/WXa78vE0cJw "><strong>Click here</strong></a><strong> to view the winner's video.</strong><br><a href="https://youtu.be/WXa78vE0cJw "><strong><img src="/images/massgeneralthumb.jpg" data-entity-uuid="" data-entity-type="" alt="Foster Winner Video" width="210" height="126"></strong></a></p></td><td align="left" valign="top"><h4><strong>2015 Finalists:</strong></h4><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/160114-pr-thedacarefoster.pdf">ThedaCare</a><br>Appleton, WI</p><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/160114-pr-lancasterfoster.pdf">Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine</a><br>Lancaster, PA</p><p><a href="/system/files/2018-08/160114-pr-stjosephfoster.pdf">St. Joseph Health, Queen of the Valley Medical Center</a><br>Napa, CA</p></td></tr></tbody></table><hr><p><a href="/2017-12-11-foster-g-mcgaw-1986-1999-prize-winners"><em><strong>See an archive of previous winners from 1986 to 2014.</strong></em></a></p></div></div></div> Wed, 27 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0500 Award